COUNTY FAIR: Heat Hinders Numbers

BOARD MEMBER: OVERALL ATTENDANCE GOOD DESPITE WEATHER

— The Benton County Fair managed to hold onto last year’s improved attendance even as Northwest Arkansas battled record high temperatures for much of August.

“Our attendance this year was 20,634,” said Miriam Rowe, a Fair Board member. “That’s about the same as last year, maybe up a little bit.”

This year’s fair was the second time it was held in August, rather than the traditional September. Fair organizers cited poor weather in September, with rain hampering attendance for several consecutive years, as one reason for the move to August.

The tradeoff from September rain to August heat was understood when the change was made, but no one could have predicted this year’s prolonged hot weather, said Tim Summers, board member.

“We moved it because it was rained out a couple of years,” Summers said. “Certainly, you play a guessing game. We had one of the hottest summers we’ve had in quite awhile.”

“I thought, overall, the attendance was good,” Summers said, after acknowledging the heat probably kept some people away.

Rowe said participation at the fair was down slightly, if measured by the number of exhibitors. Rowe said the number of exhibitors dropped from around 700 in 2010 to about 600 this year.

BY THE NUMBERS

Fair Attendance

The 2011 Benton County Fair drew a paid attendance of 20,634, organizers said. In 2010, the fair drew just over 20,000 as it moved to a new schedule in August and hired a new carnival operator. In 2009, with the fair battling rainy weather in September and a disappointing showing by the event’s former carnival provider, attendance was only 13,288. At its peak, the fair drew upwards of 30,000 people to its old location near downtown Bentonville.

Source: Staff Report

The fair was not without its critics, with the schedule and details of the fair’s organization drawing complaints from one volunteer. Rex Hickox of Bentonville worked at the fair selling tickets along with other members of his civic group. Aside from having to deal with ticket machines he described as “from the Dark Ages,” Hickox said the fair suffered from the heat and from a lack of informational and directional signs for fairgoers. He also said routine grounds maintenance seemed to have been overlooked.

“When you’re afraid to touch a piece of metal or plastic because it’ll burn you, it’s too hot,” Hickox said. “At the front entrance the weeds were never mowed in the ditch and there’s no sign for the fair entrance, just one that says ‘Truck Entrance.’”

Summers said he’s glad people care enough about the fair to critique it. He said suggestions about changing or improving informational signs are certainly something the board should consider.

“I thing we’re open to suggestions,” Summers said. “There’s no doubt the signage could be improved.”

Hickox said the heat and a lack of provision for fairgoers to escape from it were his biggest concern.

“They need to get some air-conditioning or something in those buildings,” Hickox said. “I know they’re operating on a shoestring, but it doesn’t seem to change. That’s the problem. The Fair Board knew about all this stuff last year.”

Board member Dan Douglas said concerns about the heat are valid and the board is concerned and wants improvement, but any major projects — such as cooling the buildings — will take some time.

“Since moving the fair to the new location we have had some increasing costs we’ve had to deal with.” Douglas said. “Insurance costs, utility costs. Our costs are tremendously higher on facilities. Then we had those three or four years with the rain and problems with the carnival provider. The fair’s been under a tremendous financial strain.”

Douglas and Summers both said the shift to August was prompted in part by the streak of rainy September weather. But Douglas said there are other considerations.

“We’ve heard from a lot of parents, students and teachers who’ve told us they would much rather have the fair in the first week of school.” Douglas said. “By September, they’re into football and they’re already having tests so taking a week off for the kids who are showing animals can be a lot tougher.”

Douglas also said the fair schedule isn’t just up to the Fair Board to decide.

“There’s not a whole lot of carnival operations around,” he said. “You’re kind of at the mercy of the carnival provider a little bit. You have to consider when can they be there.”

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