With a decline in attendance and lack of yearly committed volunteers, the two-day Windsor County Agricultural Fair made the decision to shut down.
http://www.vermontjournal.com/content/best-little-fair-vermont-closing
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Best Little Fair in Vermont is Closing Submitted by VT Journal on Tue, 03/05/2013 - 4:21pm By KATY SAVAGE The Shopper SPRINGFIELD, VT - In what would have been its 40th anniversary in Springfield, the “Best Little Fair in Vermont” won’t be selling tickets this year. With a decline in attendance and lack of yearly committed volunteers, the two-day Windsor County Agricultural Fair made the decision to shut down this winter. Because it is only a two-day event, the non-profit doesn’t get any funding assistance from the state and due to lack of volunteerism, it’s not feasible to go longer. Asking vendors to setup for only two days is also difficult. The nine member volunteer board contacts vendors, holds monthly meetings and plans for the event all year, while maintaining full-time jobs. “We decided it was too overwhelming. We have less and less volunteers to organize and the board is getting older,” said board member Kari Storm. The Ag-Fair used to be highly attended, but over the past five years, attendance has been dwindling. Unlike most fairs, due to the location, the Ag-Fair doesn’t have a field large enough for rides. “Times are changing. Kids want things to be more exciting than what we have,” said Storm. Fairs across the state have seen poor attendance in recent years. The Vermont State Fair in Rutland had a smaller attendance than usual last year-mostly due to damage from Tropical Storm Irene. In an increasingly digital world, children have other sources of entertainment. “The fair used to be the big excitement of summer. But now there are 3D movies and parks. The people who come to the fair tend to be older-remembering things,” Storm said. The board put in more effort in than usual last summer, trying to attract tourists through magazine advertising. Extra effort attracted about 4,000 people, but extra time wasn’t worth the reward. “It was disappointing to be in so much more effort and not have a big payoff,” said Storm. The Ag-Fair fair dates back to the mid-1800s, and has moved to such locations as The Billings Farm in Woodstock (1855-1972), the Hartland Fairgrounds, The Vermont State Farm in Windsor (1963-1970) and The Ascutney Ski area (1971-1972). The fair has historically included everything agriculture. Ox and pony pulls, truck and tractor exhibits and a wide array of 4-H competitions and live music were some of the activities last year. With the young, energetic volunteers the fair might come back in the future, but it’s unlikely to be anytime soon. “It’s hard to mothball a non-profit,” said Storm. “There’s a lot of paperwork involved. It’s a gigantic amount of time.” Featured KATY SAVAGE The Shopper News The Shopper
Best Little Fair in Vermont is Closing Submitted by VT Journal on Tue, 03/05/2013 - 4:21pm By KATY SAVAGE The Shopper SPRINGFIELD, VT - In what would have been its 40th anniversary in Springfield, the “Best Little Fair in Vermont” won’t be selling tickets this year. With a decline in attendance and lack of yearly committed volunteers, the two-day Windsor County Agricultural Fair made the decision to shut down this winter. Because it is only a two-day event, the non-profit doesn’t get any funding assistance from the state and due to lack of volunteerism, it’s not feasible to go longer. Asking vendors to setup for only two days is also difficult. The nine member volunteer board contacts vendors, holds monthly meetings and plans for the event all year, while maintaining full-time jobs. “We decided it was too overwhelming. We have less and less volunteers to organize and the board is getting older,” said board member Kari Storm. The Ag-Fair used to be highly attended, but over the past five years, attendance has been dwindling. Unlike most fairs, due to the location, the Ag-Fair doesn’t have a field large enough for rides. “Times are changing. Kids want things to be more exciting than what we have,” said Storm. Fairs across the state have seen poor attendance in recent years. The Vermont State Fair in Rutland had a smaller attendance than usual last year-mostly due to damage from Tropical Storm Irene. In an increasingly digital world, children have other sources of entertainment. “The fair used to be the big excitement of summer. But now there are 3D movies and parks. The people who come to the fair tend to be older-remembering things,” Storm said. The board put in more effort in than usual last summer, trying to attract tourists through magazine advertising. Extra effort attracted about 4,000 people, but extra time wasn’t worth the reward. “It was disappointing to be in so much more effort and not have a big payoff,” said Storm. The Ag-Fair fair dates back to the mid-1800s, and has moved to such locations as The Billings Farm in Woodstock (1855-1972), the Hartland Fairgrounds, The Vermont State Farm in Windsor (1963-1970) and The Ascutney Ski area (1971-1972). The fair has historically included everything agriculture. Ox and pony pulls, truck and tractor exhibits and a wide array of 4-H competitions and live music were some of the activities last year. With the young, energetic volunteers the fair might come back in the future, but it’s unlikely to be anytime soon. “It’s hard to mothball a non-profit,” said Storm. “There’s a lot of paperwork involved. It’s a gigantic amount of time.” Featured KATY SAVAGE The Shopper News The Shopper
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