Preparations under way for 2006 U.P. State Fair
Preparations under way for 2006 U.P. State Fair
By Alicia Holmes, Escanaba Daily Press
ESCANABA — With opening day only a month away, preparations for the Upper Peninsula State Fair are in full swing. This year’s fair will offer new and traditional attractions from Aug. 15 - 20, said Scott Staelgraeve, fair manager.
“The fair is going to be here before you know it,” said Staelgraeve, and fairgrounds maintenance staff are busy preparing. “We prepare whatever we can in advance,” he said. “We want to have everything in the best shape possible.”
Sherri Swanson of Escanaba said she never realized how much effort goes into fair preparation until she started working at the fairgrounds this summer. “I had no idea how much preparation is done,” she said. On top of day-to-day maintenance, Swanson has been planting flowers and adding a fresh coat of paint to many parts of the fairgrounds, including electrical boxes and posts and the grandstand entrance.
“They take pride in having every single thing perfect,” said Swanson. “Our work never stops.”
On Wednesday, Dale Sundling, Rapid River, was busy patching a barn roof. Barn stalls must be installed, and barns must be cleaned, fixed, and painted, said Staelgraeve.
“It’s just going to keep getting more hectic,” said Staelgraeve. “In the days before the fair opens, it becomes a zoo ... with all the exhibitors and vendors coming in to set up ... everyone needing to know where they should go. It becomes quite a dance.”
Preparations for the 2006 U.P. State Fair began as soon as last year’s fair ended, said Staelgraeve. “We recap how things went and decide what we’d like to change,” he said.
This year’s truck race and demolition derby will be more affordable for families, said Staelgraeve. Children 12 and under will get free admission, students will pay $4, and adults will pay $9 for the derby and $6 for the “Tuff Truck Spectacular” race, he said, whereas last year everyone paid the adult price. “We want to make sure we’re as affordable as possible,” said Staelgraeve.
Also, for the first time in 50 years, the Escanaba-based Skerbeck Bros. will provide rides rather than W.G. Wade Shows, said Staelgraeve. Skerbeck Bros. won the contract during standard competitive bidding.
“Skerbeck Bros. will put a lot of pride into showing what they’re capable of doing,” said Staelgraeve. “To Wade Shows, we were just another show. For the Skerbeck Bros., this is their hometown fair. It’s been their goal for a long time to be able to do this fair. It will be fantastic.”
Skerbeck was contracted to bring 30 rides but will set up 33 — six more than Wade brought last year, said Staelgraeve. Further, the midway will be more family friendly, he said, offering a “fun dome” featuring face painting, clowns, and more. “This hasn’t been done before,” he said.
“It’s going to be a great fair,” said Staelgraeve. Highlights will include an Aug. 16 salute to the Armed Forces/country music concert featuring Darryl Worley; an Aug. 18 governor’s luncheon; agricultural, vendor, and nonprofit exhibits; as well as decadent fair food, he said. Approximately 30 percent of food vendors will be new, while 70 percent will be old favorites like Croatian chicken and Norm’s fries, said Staelgraeve. “Once a year you’ve got to have a corn dog and an elephant ear,” he said.
The fair appeals to different people for different reasons, said Staelgraeve. “Some come to see the music. Some enjoy the concessions or rides,” he said. “Others really enjoy the livestock, the DNR programs, the steam and gas village, the auction, or eating corn dogs for a week.”
Fair officials also have been busy processing exhibit entries — which must be submitted by July 15 — and camping requests, said Staelgraeve. Steer entries are pre-entered and ear-tagged in February, while sheep and swine are pre-entered and tagged in June. Now, during the formal entry time, people finalize fee payments and commit to attending, he said. Processing will continue for the next three weeks.
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