Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Ironwood — The Gogebic County Fair will offer a new, rotating feature during each of the four event days scheduled from Aug. 10-13.
The Fair Board voted on Monday evening to approve an idea proposed by board member Holly Ramme, who suggested that the fair offer an additional event each day with the idea of drawing that much more interest to the fair.
Ramme suggested that stock car drivers provide a “look-see” view of their vehicles on Thursday, with an opportunity for autographs, goody bags, etc.
For remaining days, she suggested a local library display with related activities on Friday, a craft display on Saturday, and a free market on Sunday.
“I think it’s a good idea,” said board member Linda Nelson.
Ramme offered to direct the initiative, and board member Melina Kostac said she will assist.
In other entertainment news, board members discussed the possibility of organizing a band competition during the fair.
“A Battle of the Bands would be fun,” said Ramme.
Board Member Crystal Suzik said she has seen competitions in which band competitors flip between genres while audience approval for each set is gauged with a noise meter.
Nelson said that she will consult other sources as to how to approach such an event.
Nelson also reported that a precise location for Big Hat Rodeo — a Harvard, Illinois, operation that is expected to perform on Sunday at 2 p.m. — has not yet been determined.
“The horse arena would be the best place to have it if there was seating,” she said.
However, the board also received from the Gogebic County Horse Council a notice of its concern that the horse arena is needed for horse shows. Nelson said she already had assured Diane Maccani, who chairs that committee, that the horse arena had been considered for the rodeo only as a last resort.
After the meeting, Nelson told The Globe that the most likely locations for the rodeo will be the race track next to the grandstand area or the area inside it, which she referred to as the infield.
Nelson said she’d like to assure seating, including premium seating, no matter where the rodeo takes place.
As for preferences of the rodeo operation, she emphasized, “They’ll make whatever we have work.”
In relation to other entertainment for this year’s fair, members also:
—Voted to charge fair vendors of all types $50 per booth with the additional condition that food and beer booth vendors contribute 10% of their profits to the fair.
—Voted to hire Joel Skinner of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, as a wood carver during three of the four fair days. He will be paid $2,700 or $900 per day for three shows per day and will donate three carvings for the fair auction.
—Voted to schedule a pepper-eating contest on Saturday at 4 p.m. Board members agreed the contest held last year went over well with fair attendees.
—Learned that the Lake States Mud Racers will provide a meet-and-greet with fairgoers on Saturday at 6 p.m., with the mud racing show to occur at the end of the 4-H Livestock Auction, which will begin at 5:30 p.m.
In other news, board members also addressed the status of potential grant funding from three sources.
Regarding a pending Sparks grant to be submitted to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Nelson reported that the related committee recently held a meeting that included County Board Chairman James Lorenson and member Dan Siirila as representatives from the county board.
“I think the meeting went very, very well,” said Nelson, who spoke highly of input from the two new members.
She said that committee members decided to emphasize within the application a proposed equine trail system and equine campground. The application also will include a proposed indoor riding arena, but not with the attached stalls originally envisioned.
Fair Board secretary Marlene Saari said that the state has not yet confirmed a due date for that application.
The board has an additional grant application pending with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
In anticipation of that grant, they received a bid to replace perimeter fencing at the fairground.
However, Board Chairman James Byrns said that he was expecting to negotiate a lower bid amount this week by reducing the projected work from all four sides down to only the east and west sides.
“That east is probably most visible,” he said. The west side also includes the main entry to the fair, next to the multipurpose building, which includes the fairground office.
“The south side really doesn’t get seen that much,” Byrns later told The Globe. He added that the north side will require tree removal and so could result in being more expensive.
Board member Randall Kashich volunteered to help with fencing labor if that would help to reduce the bid cost.
The MDARD application is due on March 17.
In related news, the Fair Board also received a Feb. 28 letter from Gogebic County Administrator Juliane Giackino, informing that any contents from the grandstands, poultry barn and mobile home on the fairgrounds will need to be removed before demolition occurs. She said that county commissioners were expected to act on related demolition bids on Wednesday evening.
After being alerted by Saari to a third grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, the board also voted to forward that information for action by the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners.
Board members also:
—Voted to approve the use of the back of the multipurpose building for meetings of the Gogebic County 4-H Horse Club in March and April.
—Voted to approve the use of the fairgrounds on July 16 for a Gogebic County Horse Council game show, which will be covered by 4-H insurance.
—Heard Saari ask members to inform her by the next meeting if they wish to attend the Zone 6 U.P. Chapter for the Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitors on May 20 in Marquette.
Action was tabled in relation to the Fair Board by-laws, the sale of fair apparel, and in relation to whether animals sold in the 4-H livestock auction should be housed on the fairgrounds for approximately a week after the fair if a designated butcher is unable to pick them up immediately.
