Jackpotter
  •  Jackpotter
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 5:00:58 AM
Our little ole county fair in Campbellsville, KY is having a heck of a week. We've had our best Monday, Tuesday and Weds in history and are up nearly 1,000 people over the first three nights of the fair. Our Thursday-Saturday is traditionally strong for us so we're looking at perhaps a 2,000 person increase thru the gates. Now we'll only have an average of 10,000 people a year, but if the numbers continue like they have been we're on our way to being way up.

Don't ask me why. We've got the same motorsports and pageant events that we've had for the past few years.

I think perhaps people are "staying closer to home"...at least here.
Pinetar
  •  Pinetar
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 5:57:32 AM
Unable to compute bucks transferred to "Show" with head count only.

Need stats on how the greenbacks are flowing? ATM on the lot?
UserPostedImage
Jackpotter
  •  Jackpotter
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 6:11:27 AM
I'm not going to divulge "bucks transferred to show" on a public forum. If the show that plays our fair wants to do that, they can but I won't list that info for the world to see. I will put it in inspecific terms by saying that the way it works with our fair and contract, if the fair attendance is up, the show's "bucks" are up too. We're both ahead.

My whole point of the post is that our attendance has skyrocketed this year. I'd also say the joints are doing better, based on observation, because there are fewer of them this year therefore less pieces of the pie to split so to speak.
with-it
  •  with-it
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 6:30:47 AM
It's only Thursday....Alot can change between now and the Weekend. Saying the Spot is up is kinda premature...You can say the joints were up 100%...This year they took in $20 when last year they only took in $10. What was the weather last year? Did it rain Mon-Weds? Was it overly Hot?

Here's my Opinion on Fairs that have a Attendance of less the 15-20,000. This goes for Ohio as well as anywhere else. There is no reason for any Fair to be open on a Mon. or Tues. Except Labor Day. Almost every Fairboard member I ever met has this Delusion of Grandure...It can been any Fair on a Hot August Monday at Noon with everything open and Nobody on the Lot and they walk around with a over inflated sense of self worth....It's their one week a year to play God and they are gonna milk it for all it's worth.....You can take any County Fair in Ohio cut its Hours and Days and it won't effect the Gross at all....Actually it would probley go up because expences would be decreased. Sure you might make some Senior Citizens a lil mad they will be a lil short on earning some extra Bingo Money...who really cares though? Just because there are people in the Hog Barns caring for thier beasts during the day it doe'snt mean the whole fair has to be open.....
cny_chris
Thursday, June 26, 2008 7:14:58 AM
The rides, games and food aren't the only components of a fair. Some smaller fairs start on Monday and Tuesday because of how the fair has to schedule their events to fit everything in to the facilities they have. If you're holding events and competitions, you're gonna charge at the gate, and those folks want everything to be open if they're paying to get in. There's no one forcing someone to play a particular fair that does that.

Quote:

quote:


Posted by with-it:

Almost every Fairboard member I ever met has this Delusion of Grandure...It can been any Fair on a Hot August Monday at Noon with everything open and Nobody on the Lot and they walk around with a over inflated sense of self worth....It's their one week a year to play God and they are gonna milk it for all it's worth.....



Why does it not surprise me that you have that opinion. You're always accusing everyone of being on a power trip. Sounds to me like you have a problem with rules and authority figures -- just my opinion...[}:)][;)][}:)]
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." - Lao-Tsu

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King Jr.

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." - Robert F. Kennedy
Pinetar
  •  Pinetar
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 7:30:30 AM
All I'm asking for is an opinion on sales//revenue without figures divulged. Are people spending or counting cows?
UserPostedImage
Benjibear
Thursday, June 26, 2008 7:59:11 AM
Most fairs don't seem worth it because of the long hours. Evening carnivals always are better at $/hour then any fair. You just need to weigh the pros and cons.

However, the primary reason their is a fair is to promote agriculture and not the carnival. Many fairs need all those hours to get all the agricultural events in so that will require the entire fair to be open. Also, some fairs count on state and federal money to operate and they won't get that money if their hours don't meet certain requirements.
It is what you learn, after you know it all, that counts.
Pinetar
  •  Pinetar
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 9:16:16 AM
J'potter, when your done shoveling in the chicken barn, go out and see if pizzagod is playing your fair as he will give us a video and info on the state of the state of the fair from the perspective of a carnie.

Well, we'll call him one today anyhow. You don't knw anyone that can do video do you?

What you did not tell us is more important:
Free gate?
Brittany arriving in her Maserati Quatroporte and the farm hands all flocked there?
Free plug O'terbackie with admission?
UserPostedImage
Jackpotter
  •  Jackpotter
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 10:48:59 AM
We are open at 6pm...and typically the show closes around 10-11pm. It's an POP gate. So there you go. CNY is right. We are open the six nights in order to get the events we want. We have several people who will come every single night and many that come multiple nights. There's no playing "God" or anything like that involved. We just work hard and try to produce a quality event.

Of course lots can happen between now and the end of the week...however, based on past history, we've started slow and then had a big last three nights. Two of our biggest events on the track are Friday and Saturday night so if we get weather, we're on our way to being up.

Last year we had good weather. We had a rain out on Thursday night in 2007. My whole point was we are UP, for us significantly, at the halfway point.

As for the joints, like I said, I've not spoken to any jointee, however, NONE of these operators were on our lot last year so they have no comparison. However, the show owner would have an idea and I have not had time to more than barely talk to him. But what I can tell you is that everytime I've been in close proximity to the midway there are people standing in front of games and facing the games and playing the games.

And Pinetar, as for doing video, unfortunately every single night I'm tied up working for the fair board in one capacity or another so I haven't had a chance to get out with the video camera yet. But, then again with the "low end" gear I have it probably wouldn't pass the Pinetar School of Videography and Computer Editing standards. I think this is one that maybe I can toss to a bottom feeder who would've otherwise tried to sneak in and steal it out from under me. Know where I can find any such person?

I think I made it very clear that we are a very small fair. There are no "delusions of grandeur" on our part. We know what we are and we know where we've come from. We're just excited with the economy like it is that we have seen an increase in attendance so far when many small fairs appear to be struggling this year.
Disney Fan
  •  rhino
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 12:00:48 PM
What some of you might not understand, is that a few years ago, there was no fair for that county, untill Jackpotter and a few others struggled to find funding, sponsors, and land to have it on, and re-started the fair. They have a right to think positive, and be pleased , and are grateful for the show to help them get it started back up. Personally, my hats off to them, and i hope the weekend is huge.
Pinetar
  •  Pinetar
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 12:10:22 PM
That's it, Brittany ain't coming, I'm turning around.

I thought your fair had Kissel?
UserPostedImage
Sue
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 12:26:14 PM
I visited your fair last year and it is a nice fairgrounds. Kissel had a really great looking show there last year.
Photo album here (all but last 2 shots of Astro Wheel are from this fair in 2007, AstroWheel was photographed in Dickson TN last month)>
http://flickr.com/photos.../sets/72157604380545336/ 
Congrats and keep up the good work.

FYI I love how people who have delusions can't spell it LOL
rdcolles
  •  rdcolles
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Thursday, June 26, 2008 12:52:37 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by cny_chris

The rides, games and food aren't the only components of a fair. Some smaller fairs start on Monday and Tuesday because of how the fair has to schedule their events to fit everything in to the facilities they have. If you're holding events and competitions, you're gonna charge at the gate, and those folks want everything to be open if they're paying to get in. There's no one forcing someone to play a particular fair that does that.

Quote:

quote:


Posted by with-it:

Almost every Fairboard member I ever met has this Delusion of Grandure...It can been any Fair on a Hot August Monday at Noon with everything open and Nobody on the Lot and they walk around with a over inflated sense of self worth....It's their one week a year to play God and they are gonna milk it for all it's worth.....



Why does it not surprise me that you have that opinion. You're always accusing everyone of being on a power trip. Sounds to me like you have a problem with rules and authority figures -- just my opinion...[}:)][;)][}:)]

Hear, hear!
JustinJames
Thursday, June 26, 2008 2:32:14 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by rdcolles

Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by cny_chris

The rides, games and food aren't the only components of a fair. Some smaller fairs start on Monday and Tuesday because of how the fair has to schedule their events to fit everything in to the facilities they have. If you're holding events and competitions, you're gonna charge at the gate, and those folks want everything to be open if they're paying to get in. There's no one forcing someone to play a particular fair that does that.

Quote:

quote:


Posted by with-it:

Almost every Fairboard member I ever met has this Delusion of Grandure...It can been any Fair on a Hot August Monday at Noon with everything open and Nobody on the Lot and they walk around with a over inflated sense of self worth....It's their one week a year to play God and they are gonna milk it for all it's worth.....



Why does it not surprise me that you have that opinion. You're always accusing everyone of being on a power trip. Sounds to me like you have a problem with rules and authority figures -- just my opinion...[}:)][;)][}:)]

Hear, hear!



LOL
JustinJames
Thursday, June 26, 2008 2:34:52 PM
Looks like you guys got a nice show and fair going on there. Hope the weekend pans out for ya Jackpotter.
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