Fair Time’s Coming: Hundreds Get Ideas For Future Fairs MICHELLE KUNJAPPU Lancaster Farming Staff HERSHEY (Dauphin Co.) The Pennsylvania State Associa tion of County Fairs and the Pennsylvania State Showmens Association combined to sponsor the 91st annual convention of fairs, an event that drew more than 1,700 people to Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, recently. During the conference, 19 county fair queens competed for the title of Pennsylvania State Fair Queen, with the coronation ceremony during Saturdays pro gram. The event also featured a trade show, talent showcase of various entertainment options for county fairs, spouses’ programs, a ride safety session, educational semi nars, and board meetings. Additionally, 45-minute roundtable discussions enabled participants from various fairs to both give and receive ideas for Annie Clark demon strates how to best display holiday items in a breakout session. Rope & Fully Eveners *42 less 10% During Sale All Parts $l.OO to $lOO -5% OFF & Up - 10% OFF Also Available • Bag Wagons • Horse Hitches • Volleyball Sets • Clothesline Wheels NICKEL MINE WELDING SHOP Presenters at the conferences Super School include, from left, front row, Annie Clark, Shirley Moyer, Rainy Linn. In the back row is Beverly Gruber, Dawn Krautter, Pat Horstman, Peggy Lipinski, and Don Fretts. their respective fairs. Attendees presented their ideas about how to count attendees, or handle the media. Participants also learned about animal health regulations and changes in exhib iting livestock. During the opening celebration Frank Oliveto, Recreation Man agement Associates, was the key note speaker. Olivto discussed Motivating Your Board. Dennis Grumbine, Farm Show director, also made Farm Show presenta tions during the opening ceremo ny. Education seminar topics in cluded emergency disaster proce dures, planning for the future of your fair, a certified food han dlers course, or involving schools in the fair. The Pennsylvania State Asso ciation of County Fairs and the Pennsylvania State Showmens organization each conducted their annual banquet during the conference. Mechanical Lift Made To Order Barn Yard Scrap •48” Wide •11 Gauge Metal • 3” Hard Rubber Whe • 45 Lb. Wt. • Replaceable Heel $5B Less 10% During Sale Shirley Moyer set up an idea for an api- Pat Horstman gave participants ideas about ary display. how to display photography and artwork. More than 100 attendees came to an educational session geared toward fair chairpersons/ superintendents. “We’ve done judges’ schools for the past two years,’ said school organizer Beverly Gruber. Consequently, this year’s school offered a different slant, as fair leadership came to get ideas to take back to their own fairs. ”< 7 \ Garden Cultivators $ l5O Net Can Be Shi| Baler Twine 9000 Holland Twine - $l4/bale net 9000 Clover Twine - $l5/bale net ted U| ■J*i VV. > v < - -A >. ' *•& Before the breakout sessions, Gruber, vice president of the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs and the compet itive exhibit manager at four fairs, gave an overview of com petitive exhibits. Peggy Lipinski, associate secre tary of competitive exhibits at the Schaghticoke Fair, Rensselaer County, N.Y., followed her. Both women have presented all over the nation and Canada for the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (lAFE). “What purpose or function do competitive exhibits have?” asked Gruber. “People like to compete. It’s a way to showcase their talents, and it gives fair go’ers a look at the best of the best.” Gruber advised building mo rale within the volunteer ranks by conducting picnics or a Christmas party. “They have to think of themselves as a group,” she said. To increase entries, she recom mended advertising a day care, summer camps, boy or girl scouts, flower and garden clubs, retirement home, or doing in store (such as fabric businesses) promotions. Adding new categories, such as diabetic foods, window boxes, or having an essay contest may also give renewed interest to a fair, according to several suggestions Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 1,2003-A3l from the audience. Besides changing the entry cat egories, Gruber suggested that in lieu of plaques or banners, fairs could give away crocks, chairs, gifts, or jackets. Another change may be the layout of the displays. “Concep tualize new layouts without straight lines and tables, she said, keeping in mind the usual path of travel. To get press coverage, she sug gested offering newspapers fea tures ideas and keeping handy a list of good contacts for possible interviews for interested media personnel. “Fairs are rural razzle dazzle,” said Gruber. “Believe in the con cept of agricultural fairs, have a good attitude, keep current, think out of the box, and dedicate your self to putting together the best fair that you possibly can.” Peggy Lipinski discussed edu cation and participation ideas. Lipinski hoped to help fair lead ership take their department to a new level “make it a tool to ed ucate and entertain your fair go’ers,” she said. Competitive exhibits can also become a means for the public to be participants in your fair, she said. “If the majority if your fair go’ers are not exhibitors, then we need to find a way to get the non (Tum to Page A 32)
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers