By JONATHON DAWE
Statesman Staff Writer
Many who attended this year's Stoddard County Fair were stunned to learn they would have to pay more to enter the fair. And while it may be understandable to not want to pay more, fair board member Sam Huey explained that it was necessary.
"Looking back, I believe this is the first time we've raised our prices in several years," Huey remarked. "People didn't like it the last time we raised prices. But, no one stops to think about why we had to do it."
Huey went on to explain that the cost of insurance for the fair has doubled in the last five years.
"People will say, 'You should find different insurance,'" Huey said. "We've looked, and we couldn't find anything better than what we had. We'll just have to see what we can find next year."
Huey said this year's fair attendance was down approximately 2,200 people; and, he believes the increased cost at the gate probably had something to do with that.
"The economy's not great," Huey said. "So that doesn't help much."
Huey explained that Tinsley Amusement, which provides the rides for the fair, was down approximately $3,000 from last year. When asked if the increased gate price was exclusively to blame, though, Huey said he couldn't be sure.
"It's probably a few different things," Huey remarked. "One of the biggest disappointments, I thought, was attendance for Saturday afternoon. The weather made things cloudy and a little misty, then the sun would come out for a little while. That may have had something to do with fewer people coming out."
Huey went on to say that it's not very useful to compare to the previous year's numbers, though.
"If you look at what we did last year, we were above what we did the year before that," Huey said. "If you really want a clear picture, you need to look at a 10-year average."
Huey continued to explain that insurance wasn't the only cost to increase.
"We're not immune to what's going on everywhere else," Huey remarked. "Costs have gone up everywhere. Our utilities have gone up, just like everyone else's. Pretty much all our costs have gone up.
"Plus, when we're looking at consistently making improvements to the fair, that takes money. We're looking at upgrading the bathrooms, and some other things. All of that costs. And, I don't know how many people are aware of the scholarships we give away each year. We give anywhere from $2,500 - $4,000 in scholarships each year, as a way of giving back to the community."
In all, Huey said the revenue from the fair wasn't down like the attendance was.
"We're just going to have to sit down and look at our options, and see what we can do," Huey explained. "We're looking for ways to strike a balance with everything, so we can try to please as many people as possible."
Though attendance was down, Huey said he considers this year's fair to be a success.
"I honestly thought attendance would be lower than it actually was," Huey remarked. "I was expecting fewer people to come out."
Huey said the planning for next year's fair has already started.
"People ask me when we're going to start planning next year's fair, and I tell them 'three or four months ago,'" Huey said. "We'll be back next year, and the fair will be bigger and better."