The Shelby County Fair is a blur of color as lights from the rides, left to right, ferris wheel, Full Tilt, and Zero Gravity flash and spin in the black night July 23, 2017. The Fair Board discussed raising ticket prices and including rides in the cost of tickets during a meeting last week.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
By Kimberly Pistone
For the Sidney Daily News
SIDNEY — The Shelby County Fair Board discussed price increases and other topics at a meeting on Sept. 18.
The Fair Board meeting began with discussion about the fair rides and ticket costs for future fairs. A proposal was made to change the structure of the fair tickets. Instead of having entry tickets and buying ride bands, all tickets would include rides.
This means that tickets to the fair will be raised to $15 per day, with $13 industrial day bands and $13 for 4H members to purchase rides — this is a significant increase from the 2024 prices of $10 and $8. Week long fair passes will be raised to either $40 or $45, up from $30 in 2024.
The reason for this proposed change is to accommodate the ride company that the board wants to contract with for 2025 and future fairs. The ride company will have exclusivity on games, provide rides on Sunday, and will provide a good mix of rides, with the expectation that keeping the same ride company will build momentum and interest for future fairs.
Fair Board president, Scott Bertsch, said, “I don’t think $15 a day is too big an ask.” Bertsch showed prices for other area fairs, to compare. While the daily entry will be higher if this proposal goes through, for people who want to do rides it will be less expensive than fairs like Miami and Darke Counties.
Discussion included continuing with the free days to help mitigate the impact of the price increase on people who do not want to do rides, and likely continuing the $1 lunch only tickets.
The new barn project was also discussed. Bill Clark said he was trying to get an estimate for Big Ass Fans to install fans in the building. This would save on energy costs over the multiplicity of individual fans that are typically used.
A motion was passed to add permanent poles for lights on the track, with lights being added next year after fair. The cost for the four poles will be $1000, but rental of the lights was $1700 for 2024, and that did not include delivery since a board member picked the lights up, so this investment would quickly be recouped.
Chris Roediger, Shelby County Maintenance Supervisor, talked about the water line project phase II. This water line will feed the speed barn, Adam’s Apple, the dairy boosters, Boy Scouts, Sheriff’s building, the new storage barn and the 4H horse barn, for a total of approximately 1600 feet.
The hog barn wash rack was also discussed. Currently there are hoses running over the top, and there is a quote to move the water underground. The hose over the top was never meant to be a permanent solution. The new water will require a 1000 gallon septic “vault” which will also be placed underground. It will be located in a place where there will not be a lot of driving traffic over it.
The addition of picnic tables was discussed. The plan is to add picnic tables which will be engraved with dedications, rather than more benches. Upper Valley Career Center will make the tables, with the plan to make 15 this year and 15 next year. The ultimate goal is to have more dining areas around the food vendors.
The next big capital outlay project will be electric.
Katie Miller, 4H Youth Educator, said her office is looking at applying for a grant to create an agriculture experience area during the fair, and wanted to be sure she could have the space before pursing it further. Miller also said that at the 2024 fair they ran out of rabbit and chicken cages, and were tight on space. Since the goal is not to reduce entries, Miller said she was open to ideas. One suggestion is to do the chicken and rabbit pen placement in a different way which would add another row.
The next fair board meeting will be held on at 7 p.m. on Oct. 16 in the secretary’s office.
