Carnival & Fair News

Perhaps all fairs are a work in progress, Each year is different, time marches on, and change is master of us all. The 2024 York State Fair seemed  not about this year, but the future.

By many metrics, the York State Fair was a roaring success -- its 2024 attendance reached 455,899, an increase of more than 14 percent from last year; a reported 6.5 percent uptick in spending on the Strates Shows Midway  and the eight nights of entertainment on the Bobcat of York Grandstand State sold more than 50,000 tickets, including a sold-out Lainey Wilson show and near-sellouts (10,000+) for Hellstorm/I Prevail and Kane Brown.

But it was also the fair of Vision 2030, a comprehensive study of all aspects of the fair with a report due early in 2025.  “The fair board actually started it a while back. We wanted to include all the fair communities. We want to take a step back, look at all parts of the fair, and put together a plan for the next five years,” said Patrick Ball, Interim CEO of the York County Agriculture Society.



 

New Dates, New Changes

The York State Fair moved from September to July in 2021,  and earlier this year, after the previous CEO, Bryan Blair retired, the  board hired Ball, who has been associated with the fair for more than 15 years and is president of CTY Consulting Group, a York-Based company that “specializes in Strategy Development, Organizational Development, and Process Improvement.”

The study included a fairgoer survey available via QR codes plastered in more than 80 different locations  throughout the fairgrounds. The overall goal for the study? To learn “how we can better serve the community and how we can better live up to our agricultural mission and celebrate our agricultural roots,” said Ball “After the fair, we want to take a step, look at what we have and put together a plan for over the next five, years.'

One of the biggest fairs in the Keystone State, Vision 2030 for the York State Fair has gotten widespread local media. The question on everybody's mind seems to be if the fair should move back to its September date – while within a few thousand — July attendance has yet to reach the previous levels. While “everything is on the table,” Ball insisted that the exploring issues of programming, infrastructure and overall experience is the paramount objective.

The study will provide a framework and additional changes to plans already in place for the fair's future. “We want to become an environmentally friendly event,” said Ball. “We are planning to be a zero-waste fair by 2030.”

As Interim Manager, Ball is shepherding the fair during this transition period. “The team that is here is amazing, I'm a local guy, so it's an honor and privilege. What I appreciated the most is hearing those stories of people who worked the fair, hearing those stories about how long their families have been here. You really understand the importance of the fair to community. I did a lot of listening. Vision 2030 is starting a lot of conversations.”

Cleanliness, Customer Service, Community

Ball stated that his immediate priorities for the 2024 York State Fair were Cleanliness, Customer Service and Community.  “First impressions are very important, we want a welcoming place. We changed our trash strategy, especially in the food area. With customer service, you want to create  an experience so they want to comeback. For example, there was a particular gate that wasn't used, so we upgraded that gate so there's an entrance, parking and we can get pedestrians into the fair."
 
Mother Nature was kind to the fair, with nine out of the 10 days being splendid summer weather. This year's  York State Fair Concert Series on the Bobcat of York Grandstand Stage featured Kane Brown with Dylan Schneider; Jon Pardi with Drew Parker: Halestorm & I Prevail; Lainey Wilson with King Calaway,  Ludacris with DJ Infamous and Ted Nugent. Lainy Wilson sold out and the day – a Sunday, was a record day for the fair.

According to Ball, all 225 Vendor Spots – 90 of which are for food – sold out – and business was brisk. “Inflation was noticeable, prices were up but I heard many people say they pay more for food at an arena or movie theater than they did at the fair,” said Ball. “I talked to many concessionaires who had record years.

 

Strates Shows Midway

The Strates Shows Midway showcased 45 rides, on par with previous years, with revenue up 6.5 percent over 2023. “Strates Shows continues to experience unparalleled growth with our partners at the York State Fair,” said Marty Biniasz, Strates Shows Manager of Marketing & Fair Development. “We continue to trend well above the five-year gross average.”

Biniasz pointed out that the carnival company for the 2024 fair was “utilizing the marketing strategy ‘Open Big & Finish Strong,' $1 gate admission and $1 rides on Opening Day has been a fabulous promotion to kick off the fair in a big way. Opening Day gross revenue has grown 35 percent since 2022.” 

The Strates midway was also shinier and featured new equipment among its beloved mainstays. “The show spent a considerable amount of time in Winter Quarters this spring updating and restoring many iconic rides. New lighting packages were installed on our Zierer Wave Swinger, Bertazon Venetian Double Carousel, Scooters and Hershell Merry-Go-Round. One of the last great show painters in the outdoor amusement business was brought out of retirement to assist the restoration process. Jack McKissock, who has been painting unique murals and ride panels on the Show Shows for nearly 40 years, restored artwork on the Wave Swinger and Venetian Carousel. Other work included countless upgrades to mechanical and hydraulics systems.”
 
Strates Shows, 101 years old this year, has a long history with the York State Fair, returning to the event only after it moved back to July. “2024 was the 44th year for Strates Shows in the City of  York, the Susquehanna Valley and the entire South Central Pennsylvania region. It is an outdoor amusement tradition at the York State Fair that began in 1937 with a revival of the historic partnership in 2021.”



He added, “York Fair organizers have taken advantage of the July dates to create a very strong Grandstand lineup. The greater availability of acts during the summer has strengthened the schedule. A successful Grandstand always has a positive effect on the midway and independents.”
 
Founded in 1765, the York State Fair is considered the oldest agriculture fair in the U.S. This year's marketing theme – Rooted in Agriculture – echoed the main mission of the event, now spanning into its third century. The advertising budget –$250,000 –was on par with 2023, with a new emphasis on social media. “We had more than  1 million social media impressions, kept a strong presence on radio. We have more than 70,000 followers on Facebook.”  

The 2024 fair may have been a work in progress, but good work and much progress was made even with an interim manager. “We exceeded expectations. We helped ensure a leadership transition into the future. We had support from the community, with more than 1,300 animals entered in our contests. We had no behavioral issues with disruptive teens, we had uniformed security personnel walking in pairs. Our mission is agriculture and we doubled down on that mission. We have a strong sense of community in York, which is a network of smaller communities. It's real opportunity to come together for a celebration of that tradition.”