View from the Cab: Fair time in January?
By Kent Casson
Even though snow is on the ground and temperatures are cold enough to make a polar bear shiver, we got our fix of county fairs over the weekend.
Our family always looks forward to attending the annual convention of the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs in Springfield. I have the honor of serving as emcee for the Friday evening showcasing event at the Crowne Plaza where fairs choose entertainment acts for the coming summer.
“We’ve got the best of the best up and coming acts as well as our headliner this year: a group called Dirty Grass Soul,” explains Charlyn Fargo Ware, secretary/treasurer of the IAAF.
The theme for this year’s 114th convention was “Rockin’ It Forward.” This is the perfect chance for fair people to come together, celebrating what they’ve done in the past year and learning a few things on how to keep fairs vibrant.
Mike Bradley was the main speaker Saturday morning. He is from California and looked into his crystal ball of what fairs may look like in a few years down the road.
A big part of the weekend is the Illinois county fair queen contest.
“There are a lot of queens who want to have that title of Miss Illinois County Fair Queen,” said Ware.
The queen’s job is to promote Illinois agriculture and serve as a voice for county fairs in the state, which have a positive economic impact on communities. Fairs not only provide leadership but also educational opportunities.
“County fairs the last couple of years have just had some record attendance,” notes Ware.
IAAF’s annual trade show was as popular as ever – helping fairs find new carnivals and acts. The state talent show is another big aspect of the weekend as kids in both the junior and senior divisions from different counties come together to perform for the top honors.
Ware feels fairs are on an upswing calling this a really good time for the fair industry as a whole.
Be sure to support your local county fair this summer because plenty of volunteer work happens behind the scenes we don’t often see.
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