"Maybe someday the younger 4-Hers will seize control from Wayne Flury, and the county fair will begin to operate without taxpayer subsidies." So does your county fair where you live operate with out tax money???? When the economy is bad and entertainment wants extreme amount of money... the board tried to get quality entertainment, which I think they did. As for the buildings the majority of the barns have been replaced, sure maybe some of them could use a new coat of paint. If you were anywhere near the swine barns that they (Rock County Pork Producers) added windows into the Sale Arena, The oldest building on the grounds would be the Show Arena and if look closely to it you can see a great old building that has had alot of animals shown in it.

It's just going to get more expensive with a new fairgrounds. Maybe we have reached peak fair attendance and are on the decline.

I went to the fair Saturday and while I had a good time, I will not be going again.

Between the $8 gate admission and the extortion on the midway for ride tickets and food, my dollars didn't go far. Not when a lemonade and a corndog cost $12.

It didn't matter at our house if the fair was resonably priced or not- there simply was not enough money in the budget for it this year.

Maybe it's time for a new fairgrounds where people would actually want to come. I used to love going to the fair every year, and now I can't stand it because everything is so run down and out of date. It's time for the city and county to get together and step up for the community and give them a fairgrounds they can again be proud of.

tipi - did you read my post? I defended the Rock County fair, my hometown, where I attended every fair when I was growing-up there. And yes, I drove over this year too to attend and see family.
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Telling me not to come because I think other fairs are better than my hometown fair, or because Wayne Flury should be impeached for blowing-it for the kids of 4-H by failing to get new grounds, new facilities, etc, does not serve the 4-H fair very well.
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According to tipi, Rock Co 4-H should stand for "heads, hands, heart, and heck with you if you criticize us..."

Longtimegone "the fairs over here in SE WI are so much better......" so you must not live here in Rock County. Rock County has more exhibitors than any of the fairs in SE WI. Most of those fairs also have open class for adults and non 4-H/FFA members. Rock County is the largest (exhibitor entries) in the nation. The largest youth fair in the country is Berrian Springs county fair in Michigan (open to all youth in the county). I think that Wayne Flury should not be attacked about the new fair grounds that were offered to the county. That subject is long gone. So quit compairing our fair to Walworth and etc. If you don't like the fair just because of the grounds then don't come.

I feel compelled to defend the Rock County Fair, even though Wayne Flury's board made a huge blunder in refusing to talk to Mr. Hendricks and Mr. Fitzgerald's offer to build a new fairgrounds adjacent a new baseball park on the interstate.
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The county fairs over here in SE WI are much better than Rock County's, but to say Rock County is a bad value is just insane.
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Admission is reasonable, free national music acts, local tents for local food, and a minimal amount of hucksters trying to sell their products....
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This is a county fair, not the Dells, not Summerfest. They get subsidies from the Rock County Board and have limited land space - so money and location are the great boundary against significant improvements.
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Maybe someday the younger 4-Hers will seize control from Wayne Flury, and the county fair will begin to operate without taxpayer subsidies.
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I think the fair is no longer family finance friendly. We have only one child and could easily spend $100 at the fair. Admission prices are way too high. Maybe they could charge for a wristband or a spectator pass, not both.

and high prices for the same ten rides from 20 years ago.

It's the economy.