Clay County Fair has 'most successful year ever'
By Russ OechslinJournal Correspondent | Posted: Thursday, September 20, 2007
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PHOTO:
Clay County Fair secretary-manager Phil Hurst gives what he calls “a University of Okoboji thumbs-up” as he drives his golf cart on the new clay track where considerably more than 7,000 fairgoers attended the World of Outlaws sprint car races Sept. 19. The races helped make for record nine-day attendance of 319,307, up from the previous record 304,998, set in 1996.
Photo by Russ Oechslin
SPENCER, Iowa -- Most of the concessionaires have already moved their exhibits and equipment off the fairgrounds. And where the Clay County Fair office was elbow-to-elbow with concessionaires and fairgoers just last Sunday, all that remains of the most successful fair ever is several boxes of lost and found articles behind Louis Vogt’s desk.
There are several cell phones, a PDA, an MP3 player, wallets, scarves, blankets, a checkbook, a backpack, a jacket and several shoes in the mix -- all items no one claimed before the end of the fair. As she has time in the weeks ahead, Vogt will attempt to contact the owners of the valuables as she has for the past quarter-century.
“What I can’t understand,” said fair secretary-manager Phil Hurst, “is how people left without their glasses and car keys.”
But Hurst does understand what makes a successful fair, though he says it’s not something that can happen every year.
“I really think this year’s fair has been in the making since 2003 or 2004 at the latest. The pieces were there. But outside forces took over.
“Nine-eleven brought attendance down considerably in 2001, even after a good start. Three years ago, we had 14 inches of rain through the week. The next year, the focus was on Hurricane Katrina. And last year, the weather wasn’t right. We had extremely cold weather toward the end. This year, it all came together," Hurst said.
“It also might be wrong to equate a successful fair with high ticket sales,” he admitted. “But the two questions people ask are, How was the fair?’ and How was attendance?’ While many fairs no longer report their numbers, we have traditionally. So we’re stuck with that measure.”
Another measure of success is the reports from concessionaires, many of whom claimed higher than anticipated sales this year. Ticket receipts for the midway rides, Hurst said, were up more than 15 percent over last year, even though gate admissions were up only 4.2 percent.
“There’s also the feedback we get from those outside the fair,” Hurst added. “I stopped for coffee at Car Go Express one day and they were telling people asking directions to the fair to just go to the end of the line that starts in Milford and you’ll get there.’ That’s always good to hear.”
This year, in addition to an overall attendance record, the fair set new highs for attendance on both Saturdays of the Sept 8-16 run, with 57,661 on opening day and 62,440 for the Saturday of closing weekend.
First and foremost, Hurst said, he’s interested in promoting the Clay County Fair as an agricultural institution that people want to be a part of and have fun attending.
The fair secretary fondly recalled that even though he didn’t grow up on a farm, it was his involvement in FFA that taught him the basics of public speaking, business writing and Roberts Rules of Order for conducting a meeting. “We did feed a few hogs and milk cows on the acreage. But it wasn’t really a farm. It was a way for my dad to feed six kids.”
“The variety of entertainment and exhibits -- commercial, 4-H and FFA, the carnival, and even the food court -- all contribute to the mix of fun and education,” he said. “The food court is a very sensitive thing. I think we have a good variety of sit-down and fast-food vendors.”
Promoting the Clay County Fair costs upward of $100,000 each year, Hurst said, explaining that much of that is for a brochure that is distributed about 100 miles in all directions, in addition to the print and broadcast advertising and a huge public relations effort that involves every member of the fair board and fair staffers as well.
PHOTO:
Clay County Fair secretary-manager Phil Hurst gives what he calls “a University of Okoboji thumbs-up” as he drives his golf cart on the new clay track where considerably more than 7,000 fairgoers attended the World of Outlaws sprint car races Sept. 19. The races helped make for record nine-day attendance of 319,307, up from the previous record 304,998, set in 1996.
Photo by Russ Oechslin
SPENCER, Iowa -- Most of the concessionaires have already moved their exhibits and equipment off the fairgrounds. And where the Clay County Fair office was elbow-to-elbow with concessionaires and fairgoers just last Sunday, all that remains of the most successful fair ever is several boxes of lost and found articles behind Louis Vogt’s desk.
There are several cell phones, a PDA, an MP3 player, wallets, scarves, blankets, a checkbook, a backpack, a jacket and several shoes in the mix -- all items no one claimed before the end of the fair. As she has time in the weeks ahead, Vogt will attempt to contact the owners of the valuables as she has for the past quarter-century.
“What I can’t understand,” said fair secretary-manager Phil Hurst, “is how people left without their glasses and car keys.”
But Hurst does understand what makes a successful fair, though he says it’s not something that can happen every year.
“I really think this year’s fair has been in the making since 2003 or 2004 at the latest. The pieces were there. But outside forces took over.
“Nine-eleven brought attendance down considerably in 2001, even after a good start. Three years ago, we had 14 inches of rain through the week. The next year, the focus was on Hurricane Katrina. And last year, the weather wasn’t right. We had extremely cold weather toward the end. This year, it all came together," Hurst said.
“It also might be wrong to equate a successful fair with high ticket sales,” he admitted. “But the two questions people ask are, How was the fair?’ and How was attendance?’ While many fairs no longer report their numbers, we have traditionally. So we’re stuck with that measure.”
Another measure of success is the reports from concessionaires, many of whom claimed higher than anticipated sales this year. Ticket receipts for the midway rides, Hurst said, were up more than 15 percent over last year, even though gate admissions were up only 4.2 percent.
“There’s also the feedback we get from those outside the fair,” Hurst added. “I stopped for coffee at Car Go Express one day and they were telling people asking directions to the fair to just go to the end of the line that starts in Milford and you’ll get there.’ That’s always good to hear.”
This year, in addition to an overall attendance record, the fair set new highs for attendance on both Saturdays of the Sept 8-16 run, with 57,661 on opening day and 62,440 for the Saturday of closing weekend.
First and foremost, Hurst said, he’s interested in promoting the Clay County Fair as an agricultural institution that people want to be a part of and have fun attending.
The fair secretary fondly recalled that even though he didn’t grow up on a farm, it was his involvement in FFA that taught him the basics of public speaking, business writing and Roberts Rules of Order for conducting a meeting. “We did feed a few hogs and milk cows on the acreage. But it wasn’t really a farm. It was a way for my dad to feed six kids.”
“The variety of entertainment and exhibits -- commercial, 4-H and FFA, the carnival, and even the food court -- all contribute to the mix of fun and education,” he said. “The food court is a very sensitive thing. I think we have a good variety of sit-down and fast-food vendors.”
Promoting the Clay County Fair costs upward of $100,000 each year, Hurst said, explaining that much of that is for a brochure that is distributed about 100 miles in all directions, in addition to the print and broadcast advertising and a huge public relations effort that involves every member of the fair board and fair staffers as well.
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Mel Feldspar wrote on Sep 20, 2007 8:45 PM:
Omaha fairgoer wrote on Sep 20, 2007 7:44 AM:
Omana fairgoer wrote on Sep 20, 2007 7:43 AM: