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The fair, which starts July 21, will charge $6 per day, including parking, which is believed to be the lowest admission price since 1998, Clark County Fairgrounds Executive Director Dean Blair said.
“We wanted to make it a more aggressive approach to compete (with other attractions),” Blair said.
Children 5 and younger are free, while children younger than 14 are free on Kids Day, July 26. Ride passes will remain $16 per day and $12 on Kids Day.
Last year, entry cost $7 but several other promotions were included, such as Military Day, Food Drive Day and free until 3 p.m. The fair saw a more than 8 percent drop in attendance last year, which Blair said was likely caused by extreme heat during the week.
The fair had about 73,000 paid admissions in 2016, down from about 80,000 the year before. In 2010, the fair hit a peak of about 94,000 attendees.
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The fairgrounds performed a strategic planning session with Wilt PR after last year’s fair, Blair said. While the agricultural portion of the fair remains strong, he said it had trouble drawing people from the city. The goal in reducing the cost was to simplify the approach to compete with other attractions with rides, such as Kings Island, he said.
“We wanted to make it more affordable and market it very clearly that there is something for everyone,” Blair said.
The estimated cost to put on the fair is about $200,000, Blair said. The fairgrounds has been able to save revenue by working with the city to eliminate leaks in its water and sewer systems, he said.
Several new features are being added this year to make the event more family friendly, Blair said, including more rides and events. Twelve bands are scheduled, as well as two tractor pulls — the national series and the lawnmower series — and the popular KOI drag racing event. Several other acts include the Pork Chop Revue, Shark Encounter and a Firearm Training Simulator.
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It also printed 20,000 schedules with maps and fair events to make it easier for people who aren’t familiar with the fairgrounds or livestock shows.
“We want people to be engaged and get involved with those things,” Blair said.
The fairgrounds will also host a 5K at its new cross country course around the lake. Several people who have signed up for the race told Blair they haven’t been to the fair in nearly two decades. Other events such as boat races will help grow the fair, he said.
The fairgrounds recently spent about $300,000 to upgrade portions of its buildings, he said. The organization also built a new shelter house and fire barn through donations and grant money to develop its lake to bring more water events to Springfield.
“We want more of the population out here,” Blair said.
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Springfield resident Anita McCauley is more likely to go the fair under the current price structure, she said.
“Any reduction is good,” McCauley said. “The bigger, the better.”
Harmony Twp. resident Sherri Summers grew up showing animals at the fair but said it got more expensive as she got older. She’s unlikely to go this year because her grandchildren live out of state, but was glad to hear about the reduced costs.
SCHEDULE: Click here for a complete schedule of events.
“If I had a kid, I’d probably go,” she said.
The Clark County Fair will be held from July 21 through July 28 at the fairgrounds, 4401 S. Charleston Pike. For more information, log on to clarkcoag.com.
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Clark County Fair Attendance
2016: 73,000
2015: 80,000
2014: 75,000
2013: 71,000
2012: 77,000
2011: 78,000
2010: 94,000
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