Fairs to get $50K in relief

Mercer and Auglaize counties fairs are both in line to receive a much needed $50,000 to help out with substantial revenue losses caused by COVID-19 related disruptions.

Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine this week signed Senate Bill 109 into law, providing $4.7 million to the Ohio Department of Agriculture to distribute evenly to all 94 county and independent agricultural societies, according to an ODA news release.

Local fair managers welcomed the news with open arms.

"We had gotten word that it was in the works but obviously you don't plan on anything until you've got it in hand," said Auglaize County Fair manger Ed Doenges. "We're glad to have it."

The funds should be available in the next four weeks and can be used on operating expenses, projects or any other items related directly to the fair. The Auglaize County Fair is set for Aug. 1-7, and the Mercer County Fair is Aug. 13-19.

Mercer County Fair Manager Cara Muhlenkamp said she received an email this week saying addition details would be forthcoming. Fair officials don't yet have specific plans for the money but will have no problem finding ways to spend it after taking a big hit last year.

"Basically the funds were put through because of the loss in revenue during our year-round," she said. "They're set in place to help us kind of offset the loss from rentals and events."

She estimates the fair board suffered losses of up to $150,000 during the pandemic by having to hold a scaled-back fair in 2020 and cancel numerous events and activities throughout much of the year.

Putting on a full-scale fair each year can cost upwards of $400,000, she said.

"Once you get your entertainment and all those things that go with it, it adds up real quick," she said. "This ($50,000 grant) will definitely help things for sure."

Doenges put Auglaize County Fair losses incurred during the pandemic at $75,000.

"We're just basically going to make up for what lost income we had this past year. So for the most part it's just going to go in the general fund," he said. "And we're always trying to make improvements around the fair, so we'll continue doing that."

Doenges pegged the cost of holding the county's annual fair at about $300,000.

"Ohio's fairs not only provide us fond memories of our childhood, they are also important to our local communities and provide a valuable forum for the next generation of responsible food producers," said ODA Director Dorothy Pelanda in the news release. "We sincerely thank Governor DeWine and the General Assembly for this generous support of our fairs that have lost significant revenue and have struggled over the past year. It is my hope that this funding can help breathe new life into our fairs as they move toward a successful 2021 season."

After dealing with COVID-19 related setbacks in 2020, both Mercer and Auglaize counties fair boards entered the year with the goal of hosting full-fledged fairs with rides, concerts, grandstand events and entertainment.

"We're excited to all get back together and be able to enjoy the fair like we normally would. It's a good thing," Muhlenkamp said. "We've got some different things that we're going to be trying. We'll still have our increased sanitation that we're going to be doing."

Doenges made similar comments.

"We're planning for a full fair. We're going to set things up like we normally would," he said. "Of course whatever guidelines we have to follow or whatever we need to do to make people comfortable coming here, that's what we're going to do."

Ohio is removing a mask requirement immediately for people who are fully vaccinated, in keeping with new guidance from the federal government, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday.

The governor said existing health orders still won't be fully lifted until June 2 but the wording will be updated to match CDC guidelines. The June 2 date was chosen to give those who need to get vaccinated ample time to do so.

Fair managers were asked how this latest development would affect their fairs.

"At this point in time we're as much in the dark as anybody else. We are anxiously awaiting what I call our marching orders to know how we can operate," Muhlenkamp said. "I'm hoping that with a lot of the restrictions lifting that will in turn roll over to the fairs."

Doenges said the fair board's intention was always to move full-bore with a normal fair, "and if we had to make adjustments, we'd make adjustments at the end."