It’s county fair week in Kalamazoo. But people who expect a Ferris wheel and carnival games at the Expo Center are in for a surprise. This year, the fair is limited to a 4-H Showcase.
The event is free and open to the public. But the narrower focus means things have been slower on the fair grounds, according to 4Her Annalise Jubenville. (Incidentally, WMUK also interviewed Jubenville at the 2021 livestock auction.)
She said she hoped the rides would be back next year, because they were a big draw for attendees.
“You come to fair, and you don't really think about the animals when you think of a fair, you think of like the rides. It's just, more people come in, more people see. You get more money in the process.”
But for some attendees, there was a plus side to things being less crowded.
Nile Sattler showed pigs at this year’s showcase. He said having fewer people made his job much easier.
“When you go to wash your pigs, you don't have to work around five or six people. You just have to work around maybe one or two people also washing their pigs.”
Others still missed the rides, such as Alyse VanDyke.
“It's just fun to do the rides with my friends.”
However, her friend Molly Kubiszac preferred the fair without them.
“All my friends don't go down and like do roller coasters and stuff cause I get very sick doing that stuff. So, keeps my friends away from that.”
Their opinions matter, according to 4H Program Coordinator Veronica Bolhuis.
She said 4H will send surveys to families after the fair to see if they prefer the 4H focus.
“We want to hear from those 4H families. We want to hear from the public. We want to know what they want out of this event.”
The lack of rides and games doesn’t mean there’s no fun to be had. There’s a milk-drinking competition and livestock obstacle course planned for Friday.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
