Rock County 4-H Fair and AirFest coincide this year
Photo 
Tom Morgan
JANESVILLE — A haiku for the weekend of July 29-31:
Jet fuel and cream puffs,
The last weekend in July,
You can enjoy both.
It’s not terribly poetic, but it’s true.
Southern Wisconsin AirFest will be that weekend at the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport between Janesville and Beloit. Organizers hope to book an international act.
That weekend also is the final three days of the Rock County 4-H Fair that runs from July 26-31. The weekend will include professional rodeo and music from teen heartthrob Greyson Chance, Disney Channel favorite Allstar Weekend and the popular regional band Madison County.
“We weren’t actually aware that the fair was that weekend when we made our plans,” said Tom Morgan, AirFest executive director.
Now he knows.
The dates of the fair wouldn’t have made a difference to AirFest organizers, even if they had known them in advance.
Organizers moved the show’s dates to accommodate the international act they expect to book. They also want to draw on some of the audience, acts and air traffic for the Oshkosh Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual, weeklong AirVenture.
That’s right. The EAA’s annual fly-in and air show runs Monday to Sunday, July 25-31.
“We’ve got some marketing things we want to do with them,” Morgan said. “We always have transient aircraft, and we expect to draw some more of those in.”
Last year’s AirFest was May 28-30. Moving the date of such an event isn’t unprecedented.
“Rockford moved their air show so they could get an act we had,” Morgan said.
Bob Arndt, fair board president, was taking the change in stride.
“It is what it is,” he said.
“It’s kind of disappointing, but that’s up to them,” Arndt said. “There were some people that were mad about it, but I said, ‘Jeez, you guys, it’s a free country. They can have their AirFest any time they want.”
Arndt was moderately concerned about the Rock County Sheriff’s Office being spread thin that weekend.
Capt. Jude Maurer of the sheriff’s office said he didn’t anticipate any serious problems.
“We’ve really been able to scale back in the past couple of years,” Maurer said. “Janesville now covers Highway 51 out to the airport.”
The sheriff’s office has two deputies on AirFest grounds because of the event’s size and nature.
Morgan said AirFest pays the county for such services.
Christine Rebout, executive director for the Janesville Convention and Visitors Bureau, thinks the two events “might be able to partner very well.”
“It’s going to give people something else to do while they’re here,” Rebout said.
After a day at AirFest, people could go to fair for the evening entertainment, and that might translate into an overnight stay.
“The other nice thing is that these are both relatively family-orientated things,” Rebout said. “There’s something for mom, dad, grandpa and the kids.”
If the kids can’t stand another air show, their parents can pack them off to the fair.
However, Rebout suspects that “there may be challenges to work through logistically.”
“Vendors are going to have to make choices,” Rebout said.
Local businesses, churches and nonprofit organizations that run booths at the fair might be hard pressed to find the equipment and the volunteers to work both locations.
Both the fair and AirFest have served as important fundraising venues for nonprofits.
Like Arndt, Rebout is stressing the positive.
“I think we will look at opportunities to partner with the Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau,” Rebout said.
Arndt isn’t worried.
“It doesn’t matter,” Arndt said. “We’re going to be here, and we’re going to have a good time.”
May 16, 2011 at 4:43 p.m.
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Airfest announced today they have moved the days to September 9, 10, 11. This would be the weekend after Labor Day.
http://www.swairfest.org/
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Don't see Janesville on the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds list of shows for 2011.
Apr 17, 2011 at 7:32 p.m.
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+1 for Belman being completely ignorant......As the article stated, the Airfest also has to plan it's schedule around when the headlining acts are available. I'm sure they only have a small window to work with. I seriously doubt you can just call the US Navy and tell them that you want the Blue Angels to drop any plans they had and show up a weekend early because the is a fair going on the scheduled weekend.........
Apr 17, 2011 at 7:09 p.m.
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Belman, you should get your facts before posting for all the public to see. It truly does not become you to post such a factless point. Ms. Hendricks is not on the AirFEST board of directors, nor is she an organizer of AirFEST. ABC Supply (Not Ms. Hendricks) is a major sponsor. That means they donate an amount of money to have that title. It is just a fraction of what it costs to put on an airshow. The board of directors & executive director (read the article, his name is mentioned) are the ones who plan when, who and how for the air show. You obviously have some hostility for those who are successful as you posted a most hateful remark about a woman who's done nothing but good for the Janesville/Beloit area. Please educate yourself before posting such ridiculous comments.
Apr 17, 2011 at 9:50 a.m.
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I see already that the music portion is crap again this year...now to try to find something to get out of town so I dont have to drive by and have the kids ask why we wont be going again this year...BOOK SOME ROCK MUSIC
Apr 17, 2011 at 9:18 a.m.
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PS The fair offers my family less every year. We still go, but now only once from three to five times a decade ago, and still wonder why sometimes. It is the same every year. I'm sure its great for those who are in 4-H but none of the projects interest us, nor the 'entertainment' whether country music, pig racing or midget wrestling. It is dirty and smelly by the end of the week, worse with bad weather, the carnies are frightful and my kids hear more swearing and fighting there than anywhere.
This doesn't make us anti-kid, or anti 4-H, we just have different interests than you. So please don't bash anyone who doesn't hold the almightly last week of July sacred.
Apr 17, 2011 at 9:06 a.m.
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Lets see, we have 3 months to plan and budget, and both are fun for the family. No out of town vacations this year, so yes, we'll be at both!
Memorial Day weekend never worked for us, so I welcome a new approach. You can't make everyone happy; they needed to schedule based on the biggest draw. I for one will be happy to see a big notable act vs the musty old 'barnstormer' shows.
When you remember that both are non-profit endeavors logging hundreds of volunteer hours, its hard to be so judgemental. At least for some of us!
Apr 17, 2011 at 1:17 a.m.
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Totally agree with you, chelleandlou. It will be the kids that will be getting hurt. I have been participating in the fair with my kids for 18 years now. The diehard fair people still will attend but I believe the airshow will definitely have an impact on the fair. Obviously the air fest people cannot read a calendar or just maybe they did not care in the first place, The mighty $ probably comes first with them.
Apr 16, 2011 at 7:13 p.m.
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A question, how much would it cost to load the fam in the mini-van and drive to Oshkosh and back with 5 dollar a gallon gas coming? Much more inexpensive to stay here and go.
Tough choice, walk around the fair grounds smel animal feces and over pay for food and drink, or do the same at the airport minus the animal feces smell and see a much better show, hmmm. Unless of course they bring nack the midget wrestling then Ill be at the county fair with all of our local trailer park residents!
Apr 16, 2011 at 5:26 p.m.
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Balman you need to shut up. You obviously do not pay attention to what the Hendrick's and ABC have done for the community. Jealous much?
Apr 16, 2011 at 12:04 p.m.
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The fair will not be hurt by the airshow and vice versa. As for the EAA Fly-in, it is more expensive to park, get in and eat. I have been to both air shows, and I prefer the smaller venues due to the crowd issues. I do agree that the date should be set every year, if possible and to get the maximum benefit from those dates.
Apr 16, 2011 at 8:50 a.m.
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Queen Diane does not care about the 4-h fair. It is all about ABC and what they want.
Apr 16, 2011 at 1:48 a.m.
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You are all forgetting one thing, yes some people in the area enjoy both, but out-of-towners come for the airfest not our fair. (most people i know of around here go to Walwoth's anyhow).
I think the 4-h will be hurt much worse than the airshow, especially with new acts every year and you don't have to pay a dime to see some of the show, just go close enough and watch the skies for free! I wonder what this international act could be????
Apr 16, 2011 at 1:03 a.m.
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The fair is held the same week every year, the last week of July. How can organizers of AirFest NOT know that? Gimme a break...AirFest will hurt the fair and unfortunately, those that will suffer will be the kids who work so hard year round to get their projects done and animals ready for the fair.
Apr 15, 2011 at 6:43 p.m.
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Your right Twerp13, anyone that was planning an event would want to make sure they had the best opportunity to get as many people there as possible. Which would mean, checking the date. The Rock Cty Fair has always been the last week of July for the last 4 decades that I have been going.
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Also the EAA airfest scheduled the dates before last year's show was even completed.
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Taking 1 child to any of these events I have spent well over $100.00 between parking, tickets and food. With the current economy in Jnvl, who would have the cash to go to 2 or even 3 of the events planned on that weekend?
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I plan on going to the event that will give me the biggest bang for my $$. The fair and the EAA are the only 2 in the running for that! Thankfully, I still can go to the Rockford airshow in June since that will come out of a seperate months entertainment budget
Apr 15, 2011 at 5:47 p.m.
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Well for the last few years everybody has been bixching about the Fair. Well now you have your chance to show them or shut up.
I wish this would happen at more fairs, they think they can do what they want and charge what they want. I'm talking about Wal-Worth County charging for parking know.
They first kill you at the gate then the fair food games, and rides, I now they are not in charge of them.
But did I forget the one thing that tops it all of the bathroom cleaner's they have to work for tips.
Apr 15, 2011 at 5:35 p.m.
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Hello...the fair is always the last week in July. Airfest did not know this?????
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And to have Airfest at the same time as Oshkosh...POOR Planning. People are not going to try and cram 2 airshows in the same weekend and then spend time at our fair. The economy stinks as it is, I forsee that families will make a choice and only attend one event. If the show dates were further apart, then maybe they could swing doing both but as is I don't think they will.
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One final thought...the constant changing of the Airfest dates is confusing to say the least. They need to pick a weekend and keep it, not have one time in May, the next in July. Visitors then cam make plans ahead of time, and attendance would be more stable...IMO
Apr 15, 2011 at 4:47 p.m.
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Laborfest is always "Labor" Day weekend.
Apr 15, 2011 at 4:43 p.m.
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Isn't Labor Fest that weekend also?
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