MasonBuzz.com

Sue Kiesewetter reports:

The Warren County Fair may be one day shorter this year when it opens Tuesday for a five-day run, but organizers say fairgoers shouldn’t see many changes.

“We’re just trying to save a little bit of money and pack all the fun into five days,’’ said Tari Maddox, fair secretary.

Like last year, more than 1,000 children and teens are participating in the Junior Fair through their 4-H clubs. New this year is the addition of wood carvers who will do four shows each day.

Tuesday’s 7 p.m. parade features more than 75 groups following the Lebanon High School marching band around the track. As marchers circle the track, 10 hot air balloons will launch from the infield, Maddox said.

This year’s shortened schedule is part of a plan to reduce expenses after county officials last October gave the Warren County Agricultural Society $50,000 for operating expenses and other costs.

That money came with a stern warning: be more prudent financially, racing is leaving.

“The entire model has to change and be more self-sustaining,’’ said Warren County Commissioner David Young.

The society manages the county-owned fairgrounds – where the Lebanon Raceway is located – and runs the fair. It receives a portion of racing revenue.

Officials blame last year’s poor attendance on the extreme heat during fair week. That, combined with fewer races generating less dollars, led to reduced revenue.

“We’re keeping our fingers crossed. We’re hoping for a week of low humidity, even if it’s in the high 80’s,’’ said Ron Hurtt, president of the agriculture society’s board. “We’ll just have to see what Mother Nature gives us.”

Besides cutting one day out of the fair schedule – typically Monday and Tuesday are the least attended days – other measures are being done to reduce expenses.

The fair book won’t be printed or mailed; instead it will be published only online, saving about $6,000 in printing and mailing expenses, Hurtt said. There will be fewer days of judging, one less act booked and fair directors didn’t attend this year’s fair convention in Columbus and will get few perks Hurtt said.

Together, the changes and reduced days are expected to cut fair expenses by more than $25,000.

Posted in: Community, Events, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: 4-h, fair queen, fairgrounds, festival, jungle island zoo, karaoke, king, lebanon, rides, tractor pulls, warren county, warren county fair, wood carvers

Amanda Osborne, 12 check on one of the Boer Goats she plans to show at the Warren County Fair. File photo

Sue Kiesewetter reports:

More than 45,000 visitors are expected to visit Lebanon over the five-day run of this year’s Warren County Fair, which begins July 17.

And that doesn’t include the 1,000-plus children and teens who are participating in the Junior Fair through their 4-H clubs.

“The numbers are staying true,’’ said Tari Maddox, fair secretary. “We have lots of entries.”

Fairgrounds will be open from 8 a.m. through 11 p.m., each day through July 21. Karaoke, tractor pulls, a demo derby and harness racing are all returning. Visitors will find more than 50 food booths, 20 rides and a plethora of animals.

The traditional opening day fair parade is set for 7 p.m., Tuesday at the track. More than 75 groups – everything from 4-H clubs leading goats, to politicians and floats – will follow the Lebanon High School marching band around the track.

But that’s not all that will happen in the track area. As marchers circle the track, 10 hot air balloons will launch from the infield, Maddox said. And in the activity tent, David Cain will be performing his Juggler for Jesus show.

New this year is the addition of wood carvers who will do four shows each day. They will be carving animals or other shapes by request.

They join the Jungle Island Zoo where children can feed animals, the barnyard display of animal mothers and their babies, along with the traditional baked goods, flowers, youth art, ceramics and other open class displays for judging.

Although the fair is one day shorter than in past years, families will still find things to do the day before the fair opens on July 16. 4-H shows begin at 10 a.m. and the fair queen and king will be crowned at 2 p.m.

“The midway and rides open Tuesday but the barn area and some food concessions will open Monday,’’ Maddox said.

On Thursday’s family day, patrons will get a price break on admissions and rides. The cost for each car, with up to six adults, will be $15. All day ride bracelets are $12 per person Thursday only.

If you go
What: Warren County Fair, 665 N. Broadway
When: July 17-21
Hours: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m
Admission: $8 per person; children ages 12 and younger are free; weekly pass, $23; senior citizens free on Thursday; uniformed members of the military receive free admission Tuesday; $15 per carload on Thursday, with limit of six adults
Information/schedule: 513-932-2636 or www.warrencountyfairohio.org

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Posted in: Community, Events, News, Recreational events, Warren County |

Tags: Tags: 4-h, fair queen, fairgrounds, festival, jungle island zoo, karaoke, king, lebanon, rides, tractor pulls, warren county, warren county fair, wood carvers

Paul McKibben reports

Amanda Osborne, 12 check on one of her Boer Goats she plans to show them at the Warren County Fair. The Enquirer

Warren County Fair will likely be shortened next year – and the money woes plaguing the fair are likely to only get worse.

County fairs in Warren, Butler and Clermont counties all experienced attendance losses this year. The only exception was Hamilton County, which has grappled with falling attendance for years but registered an uptick last summer, when the county had two fairs because of disputes about the traditional location.

Warren County saw a 7 percent drop in attendance, to 42,000. Part of that, fair officials say, was due to extreme heat in the July week it was held. Warren County, like the rest of Southwest Ohio, is also getting less rural: It had 870 farms in 2010, down from 1,010 in 2005, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

The county owns the fairgrounds in Lebanon where the Lebanon Raceway is located. The Warren County Agricultural Society manages the facility and runs the fair. The agricultural society gets a percentage of racing revenue from the Lebanon Raceway.

In a September letter to commissioners, Joe Wilson of the Warren County Agricultural Society said that 2011 experienced “a disastrous fair week” because of extreme heat and the economy.

He said revenues from racing keep dwindling because of the economy, with that money decreasing more than $133,000 per year in the past 10 years. Costs, such as electricity, continue to rise.

Wilson also said the fair is incurring additional costs from a 2009 barn fire that killed two people and at least 43 horses. Wilson said the state fire marshal has consistently found items in need of improvement on monthly visits.

In October, Warren County commissioners decided to give the county’s agricultural society $50,000 for operating and other expenses with insurance money from the barn fire.

Warren County Commissioner Dave Young said for several years he has been publicly calling the fair’s business model unsustainable. He said by agreeing to give the money, he demanded that officials make major changes to the fair.

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Posted in: Community, News, Warren County |

Tags: Tags: 4-h, butler county agricultural society, dan martin, dave young, joe wilson, keith nixon jr., lebanon, lebanon racewat, mason, ohio fair managers association, patrick ekardt, ron hurtt, todd slone, tonya horvath, warren county agricultural society, warren county commissioners, warren county fair