Gogebic County Fair seeks next year's carnival

By MEGAN HUGHES

news@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood — The Gogebic County Fair needs a carnival supplier for 2025.

At a Monday evening Fair Board meeting, board member Linda Nelson said the usual carnival provider has no openings during next year’s fair, which will run from Aug. 8-11.

Nelson said that the board has its feelers out with several other companies, but that in the event they are unable to find a suitable replacement, the fair may have to get creative.

One example that she listed as a possibility was to lean more heavily into appealing to families with young children when it came to games and activities, such as hiring a bounce house company.

“We would need to come up with something for the older kids,” she said.

For now, the board is continuing its search in hopes that it can find a suitable carnival replacement for the 2025 fair season.

Board members also went over the 2024 fair season, reviewing how the fair went this past year.

They spoke highly of the overall result of the celebrations, but noted the lower than anticipated attendance from the public.

Part of this was attributed to poor weather. The Gogebic County Fair faced rainy weather for several of what normally are its most active days this year.

Board members also discussed the lower than average number of this year’s exhibitions.

“I think that a lot of people were under the impression that we weren’t going to have a fair,” said board member Melinda Kostac.

“I think that next year will be better,” said board member Holly Ramme.

As a result of the discussion, Nelson suggested that the board reach out to area schools to see about setting up more student entries for the upcoming year, something that had once been much more popular, especially in the art category.

One aspect of the fair that had the most positive reception by the public, according to Nelson, was the livestock tent. She said it was impressive how well constructed and arranged it was.

Board members noted that there were some attendees that had a hard time finding where the livestock were being kept, due to a trailer that acted as a sound barrier blocking the eye line from the main carnival, but once pointed in the right direction, they were able to find their way there.

“People were ranting about how wonderful the fair was this year,” said Nelson, “We are still getting compliments for how well everything did.”

In other news, the board:

—Heard concerns regarding trash left in one of the barns on the Gogebic County Fairgrounds. The trash in question is being handled by the county. Board members discussed how they should go about reporting and preventing such issues for the future. The fairgrounds are monitored by security cameras, according to the board, so in the case any trash or damage is found by a fair board member, they are able to go back on the cameras and identify the parties responsible.

—Heard correspondence from the Western U.P. Health Department about having lacked an appropriate permit for the 2024 fair regarding the parking of multiple vendor vehicles overnight, which by definition marked the space as a temporary campground. No fine is being imposed, assured Nelson, but this is something the board will be more aware of for the future.

—Heard that the Gogebic County Fair will be having a booth present at Ironwood’s Plaidurday celebration to advertise the 2025 season. The booth will serve hot chocolate and popcorn at no cost to the public. Board members Ramme and Shelly Suckow will be in attendance and are looking at potential options for merchandise to sell at the booth.

—Voted to send a letter to the Gogebic County Board, requesting a meeting of a committee of the GC board and a committee of the fair board in the near future.

—Heard the administrator report.

—Voted to move the next board meeting from Oct. 7 to Sept. 30 in order to discuss and vote on the annual budget.