From fair week to full speed ahead
Fairgrounds remain busy with concerts, racing, weddings & events
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For five days, visitors experienced livestock shows, carnival rides, grandstand entertainment and children playing in the Kids Zone during the Webster County Fair.
What many didn’t see was what happened after the gates closed Sunday afternoon.
Within hours of the final livestock trailers leaving the grounds, volunteers who had just wrapped up the fairgrounds' annual event were already transforming the Webster County Fairgrounds for another week of activity.
"We always have something happening at the fairgrounds," said Fair Manager Heather Stewart. "It's always busy."
While many people think of the fairgrounds as a destination that’s only busy during fair week, Stewart said the reality is far different.
"We host private events and meetings, weddings, and vendor shows," said Stewart. "The calendar is always full."
The county fair may be the largest event of the year, but it is just one stop on a calendar that keeps the fairgrounds active nearly every weekend.
Before the board could begin that next chapter though, it first had to bring another successful county fair to a close, despite challenging conditions.
Temperatures were sweltering throughout fair week, but was still a success thanks to the efforts of many who made safety a top priority.
“We went through more than triple the amount of free water bottles that we normally do,” Stewart said.
Keeping everyone hydrated became a community effort. Stewart said fair board members, 4-H and FFA superintendents, volunteers and families worked together to ensure both exhibitors and their animals stayed cool during the hottest parts of the week.
“Everyone was watching out for one another,” Stewart said. “The kids were staying hydrated, and we made sure the animals had plenty of water and ways to stay cool.”
While the high temperatures kept attendance somewhat lower than in previous years, those who came out enjoyed the fair’s family-friendly attractions, including the Kids Zone, which featured a clown show and an interactive animatronic dinosaur exhibit where visitors could meet a life-sized tyrannosaurus rex.
"We had a great showing at the grandstand events," said Stewart. "We had strong crowds and the team over there worked really hard to make sure everything went well. They did a great job."
After the last cars from the grandstand events and the last livestock trailer left on Sunday evening, the focus for Stewart and the fair board had already shifted to preparing the grounds for the next events on the calendar.
“The fair may only last a week, but our work doesn’t,” Stewart said. "We work all year long."
Last weekend, the fairgrounds hosted a sports card show. This weekend, the grounds will welcome a flea market and vendor show before quickly transitioning into preparations for the annual multi-day NEW Cooperative event and concert.
“It’s a big event, and we’re proud to host it every year,” said Stewart. “We can still use volunteers to help with parking and concessions. If you’re interested in volunteering, please go to our Facebook page.”
Not long after the NEW Cooperative event wraps up, the fairgrounds will once again transform to host the Figure 8 Nationals.
"It's a huge event for us," said Stewart. "We're excited to host it again and bring so many people to the fairgrounds and to the Fort Dodge area."
Throughout the remainder of the year, the grounds will also host weddings, reunions, celebrations and other private rentals.
“We’re busy almost every weekend,” Stewart said. “The county fair is a big event every year, but it’s just one week on a calendar that’s full of activities serving our community.”
Stewart said the work of maintaining the fairgrounds and hosting events is made possible by volunteers who continue working long after the fair has ended, helping ensure the grounds remain a year-round gathering place for residents and visitors alike.