By Kelly Cantwell
Editor
Visitors to the Clermont County Fair, which runs from July 24-30, might notice a couple changes from previous years.
On July 26, Rodney Atkins, country music star, will be headlining as a result of a partnership between the Clermont County Agricultural Society and the Ohio Valley Productions.
“That’s a pretty big jump for the fair. It’s something new; we’ve never had a name act at the fair before,” said Dan Hodges, CCAS president.
The members of the CCAS felt that it was important to bring in a famous artist to compete with other local music events. It took about six months to line up someone in the group’s price range, but they wanted to find someone fairgoers would like to see.
“We wanted to do something that was a little on the edge,” Hodges said.
The CCAS has wanted to bring in an act like Atkins for years, they just didn’t know how, Hodges said.
The fair will also feature two beer gardens, a first. Many of the CCAS members felt that because of the time of year and because of the Atkins concert, that fairgoers would enjoy the option to drink beer.
Those drinking beer will have to stay in a restricted area, and Hodges has worked with the Clermont County Sheriff’s Department and local police officers and he thinks they have a good plan in place.
CCAS members began considering a beer garden after about 15 of them attended the Ohio Fair Managers Association state convention, and attended a class on beer gardens. The fair is a business and does need to make revenue, which Hodges feels they will be able to do with a beer garden.
“We’re hoping it’s a money maker,” Hodges said.
He wants to be in more national acts, better rides and better entertainment, but all of that costs money so the CCAS needs to try new things to bring in more revenue.
While not financial, the fair is getting a donation from Bane Welker Equipment in Georgetown. The store, which is also a Case IH Dealer, is letting the fair use a Case L630 tractor for up to 150 hours. The Brown County Fair was given a similar donation, said Donnie Kelch, store manager.
“We are tremendously excited,” Hodges said.
The donation is part of a government rental program that Case IH has to get exposure for their equipment. Case IH gives the store a discount on the tractor when they sell it. Bane Welker owns the tractor but when the store sells it they get a discount, Kelch said.
“It makes it a little more attractive to sell it,” Kelch said.
He credits Case IH and Bane Welker for being able to do this.
The tractor will be at the fairgrounds until Nov. 1. The fair will use it for maintenance jobs, to bush-hog with, for the tractor pulls and more, said Todd Slone, vice president of the CCAS.
The fair does have a smaller tractor but it doesn’t have a loader like this one does. In addition, this tractor has an air conditioned cab, which keeps the operator cool and keeps dust out of the operator’s face.
“We are very much in debt and appreciative to Bane Welker for that,” Hodges said.
This is the first time that the Clermont County Fair has received this donation, Kelch said. Also this year, the Wilmington store location donated a tractor to the Clinton County Fair.
“The fair board would like to express their gratitude for the generous donation from Case IH, Bane Welker and Donnie Kelch and we appreciate all the support they give the Clermont County Fair,” Slone said.
The fair will also feature familiar favorites, such as the petting zoo, the National Tractor Pullers Association pulls and the demolition derby. In addition, there will be local, well-known bands playing at the Lykins Pavilion, Hodges said.
However, the fair would not be here if it was not for the Junior Fair or 4-H.
“It is absolutely 100 percent for the kids and the youth of Clermont County,” Hodges said.
This year the fair has seen a record number of animals. Small projects, such as rabbits, are growing. Goats are also growing, while the number of larger animals has stayed about the same. Youth in the 4-H program can bring their chickens this year, after all birds were banned last year due to the avian flu.
Changes in the fair aren’t just limited to the beer garden and the Atkins concert, but the CCAS itself is seeing some changes as well, as there are several new, young and enthusiastic members.
“It is not the same old fair, it is not the same old board,” Hodges said.
He added, “This board is so fun to work with.”
CCAS members had three work weekends this year, during which they painted and improved some of the fairground buildings. There is a lot of excitement in the CCAS right now, which Hodges described as a big family.
“It’s really an honor to be a president of that kind of organization,” Hodges said.