Talk with Cathy Clark, the Marion County Fair Board President, about this year’s fair, and she’ll be glad to tell you that this year will be better than ever. “On Sunday, we’re having a huge Kid’s Day with Radio Disney there, and that will be great. We’ve got sponsorship this year from Citizens Energy Group, and we’re really happy about that. The first Friday we’ll have the Princess and Little Miss pageants, and on Saturday the Queen pageant. We’ve got the Junior, Senior and Adult talent shows with celebrity judges . . . hot air balloon rides, baking contests . . . just a lot of things going on for the whole family.”
Running from June 21-29 this year at the Marion County State Fairgrounds, 7300 E. Troy Ave., the county fair is appealing to people seeking the traditional, old-fashioned agricultural fair experience, but with updated twists. Clark noted that the Marion County Fair Web site, www.marioncountyfair.org offers printable coupons for $1 off admission, plus forms for contest entries (coupon also on page A3). The fair is also on Facebook and Twitter, providing information and updates on the fair. This year, the Marion County Fair is also participating in the Feed the Hungry program initiated by the State Fair. People who bring a can of food to the gate get $1 off admission. The food will be donated to food banks to help relieve hunger in Indiana. Admission to the fair is only $5 per person, with children under 5 and all military with I.D. given free admission.
There are also great deals to be had on the midway, with unlimited rides with a $25 hand stamp on June 21, 22, 25, 27 and 29, dollar nights June 24 and 26, and unlimited kiddie rides June 29 with a $10 hand stamp.
Moving the fair to late June from the traditional August dates last year was a leap of faith that worked out very well last year, she said . . . until a freakish early heat wave kept people away the final days. “We were breaking attendance records up to that point, then the heat settled in, and people just didn’t want to come out. Then on the last day there was a storm, so we saw our attendance go down then as well.” She’s optimistic, though, that this year will be different. “This is more of a ‘normal’ weather year so far. I hope it stays that way!”
They received many compliments from fair patrons last year about the new midway operator, and are glad that North America Midway will be back. A new vendor is taking over the cafeteria, bringing a different flavor to the fair.
Jack Haefling, a Marion County Fair Board member, agreed that this year’s fair will be better than ever — for other reasons. After many years of inattentiveness to the buildings and grounds, the fairgrounds will be getting significant improvements and upgrades. “We’re putting about three-quarters of a million dollars into repairs, infrastructure, and much more,” he said. What will be most noticeable is the demolition of one of the old stages, which was too expensive to fix.
And the changes are just the beginning of what the entire board agrees is a five-to-ten year plan to create a better fairground that can be used for more than just the county fair and winter boat storage. “We see the grounds as under-utilized, and that has to change,” Haefling stressed. Next year, there are big plans to update the Coliseum, the 4-H buildings, and other buildings. Haefling explained that the fair now owns the land on the other side of Fishers Road which has been used for parking, and will soon be home to IMPD’s equestrian team. The horse barns and arena will get updated, becoming in time an equestrian center. There are plans to create a community center, and improve other buildings so that 4-H, FFA, and youth education groups can use the space. “We need to become part of the community all year round,” he stressed.
While the City-County Council and the state provides some funding for the upkeep on the county fairgrounds, Haefling said that the rest of the money needed to make the vision a reality will have to come from grants and outside sources. They hope to forge a stronger alliance with Purdue Extension, and work with inner-city children about food sources and farming.
“This is a unique asset on the south-east side of Marion County,” he said. “We need to be better stewards of this asset.”
