WILMINGTON — Attendance on Saturday at the Clinton County Fair may have set a record, according to the president of the Clinton County Agricultural Society (Fairboard).
There were about 3,200 tickets sold, said fairboard President Scot Gerber. When you add 4-H youth and 4-H advisors who are not charged admission, plus those people who buy season passes, Gerber thinks there may have been a little more than 4,000 attendees total on the fairgrounds Saturday.
The gate numbers Saturday in part can be attributed to it being the first day of the 2018 county fair, to the beautiful and moderate weather, and to the popular Demolition Derby grandstand attraction, he said.
Gerber and other fairboard members gave an update Wednesday morning to the county commissioners, who held their twice-weekly business session in Expo Hall on the fairgrounds.
The Van-Dells were a good draw Tuesday night as the featured entertainment, said Gerber.
Attendees will be pleased, he believes, with the recent additions of fans at the hog barn and at the sheep-and-goat barn.
Gerber also spoke about the camping area which has been expanded by moving the fence further back.
“We did the camping area. That’s made a huge difference back there. Lot of good compliments from that. Nice area back there to camp,” said the fairboard president.
The Expo Hall building also is slated for improvements, but not until after the fair concludes. The project involves a new roof and new heating and air conditioning, Gerber said.
Expo Hall, which can be rented for events, has been a big asset to the fairboard’s revenue stream and board members hope to apply those dollars toward fairgrounds’ maintenance and upgrades, according to Gerber.
The parking area set aside and designated for vehicles of people with handicaps has been transformed from a grass-covered spot to a site covered by fine grindings that make for a surface like a township road, said fairboard member Greta Gray.
“”Those [pavement grindings] wintered over and were packed, and then there’s tar and chip seal over the top. If you can imagine like a township road, that’s what the top of that surface is,” she said.
When it was grass, it was hard to move people in wheelchairs. And when it rained, matters were worse.
“That water would settle back there and that just wasn’t a good experience for those who are handicapped to move around. So, that’s better now,” added Gray.
During the fairboard members’ appointment with commissioners, the three commissioners complimented them on the appearance and cleanliness of the fairgrounds.
Clinton County Commissioners President Patrick Haley said, “Been all over, everything looks like it’s in place. It’s comfortable, it’s welcoming. Those are the things I think the fair wants to accomplish every year.”
Later in the day Wednesday, Wilmington Fire Department EMS personnel were called to the cow barn at about 2:30 p.m. on a report of a 70-year-old woman unconscious and CPR being performed on her.
However, within a few minutes of EMS’ arrival, she was sitting up and alert when EMS personnel transported her to the life squad vehicle.
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.
