Session: The Fair’s Role in American Culture

March 30, 4:00 PM

David L. Forkner, ASLA
Bullock Smith & Partners, Inc.

Bill Owens
Economics Research Associates

Pat Lloyd
Nebraska State Fair

The first known reference of fairs comes as early as 500 BC in the book of Ezekiel: "Tarnish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the kinds of riches with silver, iron, tin and lead, they traded in thy fairs." Fairs, rooted in ancient times, were commercial in character from the beginning, drawing merchants from distant countries to come together and trade native wares.

Early American fairs became a systematic development of agriculture and animal husbandry, offering education, local resource and industry promotion, and entertainment. Competition became a cornerstone of fair programming. At the end of the nineteenth century nearly every state and province had one or more agricultural fair or exhibition.

Today, there are over 3,200 fairs in North America with estimated attendance of 158 million. With a U.S. population of 287,589,604, fairs represent a market penetration rate of 54.9%. Of those attending fairs, 56% live in urban or suburban areas, compared to 44% living in small towns and rural areas. 59% of attendees make between $30,000 and $60,000 annually and 54% holding white collar jobs. These are a few indicators suggesting there is a broad range of fairgoers and a market for fairs, culturally and economically.

The purpose of today’s fair has changed little over the years. The core ideals and mission of fairs still reflect those of the early American fairs. The purpose of today’s fairs is to promote agricultural and animal husbandry, local resource and industrial promotion, education, entertainment, competition, youth development, and community outreach.

Although the fair may remain traditional in its overall purpose, there are several challenges that face the fair industry today and several trends that have come out of overcoming such challenges. These challenges include the fair event’s relevance to the fair community, transition from a single purpose to a multi purpose venue, economic viability, competition of discretionary income, location, local government and public perception, and the reluctance to change by governing boards.

However, several trends have come out of such challenges that have allowed fairgrounds to become revenue generating entertainment and exhibition venues that operate on a year round basis. These trends stem from fairgrounds embracing the notion of using the grounds for year round uses. By placing importance on off season events, public-private sponsor partnerships, and developing a "civic" and "park" like community space, fairgrounds are quickly becoming central hubs of activities.

Such examples of how fairgrounds are becoming more "civic" and "park" like can be seen through the development of master plans and design standards. Elements such as a sense of arrival and entry, flags and banners, focal points, and central space offer a fairground the potential to develop into a destination place and center of activity, whether a fairground is located in an urban or rural area.

Repositioning a fairground and its facilities allows for a wide range of activities and uses that can take place. These uses include tradeshows, concerts, sporting events, religious events, RV rallies, community celebration and festivals, rodeos, flea markets, emergency evacuation site, auctions, and equine events, along with the annual fair event. Of course, the number and variety of uses that a fairground is able to accommodate is dependent upon the facilities and availability of on site parking. One such example is the Tulsa State Fair with 180 events days for the year 2003 with multi day events overlapping. The Tulsa State Fair is able to host several events on the fairground at one time, maximizing the potential use of the fairground and its facilities.

Fairground facilities typically consist of two building types: multipurpose exhibition buildings and multipurpose arenas. Multipurpose exhibition buildings are covered indoor buildings with a flat floor area that can be used for a variety of uses. A multipurpose arena is a covered indoor building with fixed seating around a flat floor area that can be used for a variety of event types.

The Larimer County Fairgrounds and Events Center, also known as The Ranch, is an exemplary example of how fairgrounds are using multipurpose buildings and arenas to work into the urban fabric. Located in Loveland, Colorado, an hour outside of Denver, the fairgrounds sits between two fast growing communities: Loveland and Fort Collins, Colorado. The fairground will host 350 event days a year with events such as concerts, sporting events, rodeos, and livestock shows. Currently, under construction is the 5,100 seat Events Center, two 55,000 sq.ft. Exhibition Buildings and a 70,000 sq.ft. Indoor Arena with two livestock barns attached. The location of the fairground is already spurring additional development on adjacent properties. Under consideration are office parks, retail and entertainment districts, hotels, and residential communities.

From an economic perspective, the use of fairgrounds was historically limited to the fair event itself. The fair event has always been a signature event within the community that can still achieve a relatively high level of market penetration because of its adaptability. As communities change, so must the fair event to reflect the visitor’s expectations and market demographics; whether it is urban, suburban, or rural. From a physical planning perspective, the fair event ultimately determines what facilities are needed on the fairgrounds.

In the past, volunteers would go on to other activities after the fair and the small number of permanent employees would focus on maintenance and planning for the next year’s event. More recently, enlightened management and economic pressures have been responsible for the growing trend toward year-round use of fairgrounds, and while the fair event continues to be important, fairgrounds are being transformed into venues for entertainment, spectator and community sports, agricultural events, social activities and more. The cadre of volunteers is being replaced by a core professional staff.

The fair event is typically the fairgrounds largest source of revenue and is a strong economic engine for the fairgrounds overall. Fairgrounds can and should be profitable with multiple revenue streams, such as the gate, midway, and concessions. Take for example a modest sized fair where 80% of the revenue is from admissions, concessions, and the midway (refer to presentation slide 39). However, the fair industry is just beginning to move more into non- traditional revenue sources.

As fairs increase their emphasis on non-fair activities, the ideal economic model calls for a range of 20% to 40% of annual revenues to be generated by non-fair activities, depending on specific market and locational circumstances.

Year round event potential for fairgrounds are based on certain elements that are suited for a variety of uses. These include location, market recognition, availability of functional buildings, reasonable rental rates, and availability of (free) surface parking. Compared with a convention center, there is a difference in product due to cost, quality of space, and downtown location. It is important to note the facilities at the fairground should not compete with a convention center in the downtown but rather compliment each other to broaden and open the market.

Specific year round economic performance is a function of the market size, quality and size of the buildings, mix of events, and management skills and ambition. These elements will determine whether a fairground can take the potential it has and turn it into income.

When looking at the impact of event type on revenues, the important thing to note is that the number of people typically equates to the number of dollars. Consumer events, tradeshows, concerts and entertainment will draw in the most people, generating more dollars. Equestrian events and agricultural shows generally have smaller crowds but can generate substantial economic impacts due to the extended length of stay of event participants. Community events draw in smaller crowds and become an issue of affordability.

The economic impacts of fairs and fairgrounds can generate substantial business, employment, and tax impacts. Onsite impacts are generated from visitor expenditures and operations while offsite expenditures are generated from visitor and participant expenditures. Either way, the magnitude of impacts is a function of scale and mix of activities. However, events that generate income for the fair do not necessarily generate community impacts. Net new impacts are determined through visitor mix and jurisdictional perspective; who is a visitor and what tax mechanisms are in place, such as lodging, food, and entertainment?

The fair will continue to evolve as an educational and entertainment event. The fairground will continue to evolve as a year round hub of activity. According to the numbers, the people and dollars are big and are getting bigger. Likewise, the level of investment in buildings and grounds will grow. The fairground will gain a greater level of appreciation for its contribution to the community because of its ability to host a variety of community and regional events, and its ability to generate economic and fiscal benefits.

Many cities and counties today are developing or have developed a comprehensive plan that projects future development and land use over the next ten to twenty years. However, many of the plans fail to address the growing issues and pressures fairgrounds are facing. Traditionally, fairs were located on the fringe of cities; however as cities have grown and satellite cities and towns have developed around major metropolitan areas, many fairgrounds are now located in the middle of major urbanized areas. For example, the fairground in Sioux Falls, South Dakota before 1975 was located on the fringe of the city. Over the past twenty years growth occurred on all sides, placing the fairground in part of the urban core. Land use around the fairground in Sioux Falls has become mostly industrial with adjacent land uses being redeveloped for retail uses over the next ten years. Finally, Sioux Falls incorporated the city’s greenway trails into the fairgrounds. One of the major greenway loops around the downtown core runs alongside the fairground, opening it up for additional access and recreational uses and opportunities. The fairground, because of its location, adjacent land uses, and additional access is now situated to become a major destination place within Sioux Falls.

The fairground is important in determining redevelopment areas during the comprehensive planning process. The fairground can serve as a catalyst for redevelopment and additional business opportunities for a community, particularly tourism. In Fresno, California, the City is in the process of delineating a downtown redevelopment area that will rejuvenate the central downtown and immediate surrounding areas. Extensive and rapid growth in north Fresno has caused a decline in the viability of downtown Fresno and the first inner loop. During the process of defining potential redevelopment areas, the City has included the fairground in its downtown redevelopment area, located several blocks from the downtown core in the southeastern corner of the city. The City hopes the fairground will become a driving force in the redevelopment of this southeastern portion of the city, historically considered a low income, deteriorated residential and business district.

It is critical a community’s comprehensive plan acknowledges and plans for uses on the fairground. Zoning should reflect activities and uses that are compatible with a traditional fair event while allowing for development opportunities that encourage and promote year round use and events. Office, research, technology, and industrial parks are such compatible adjacent land uses. Open space and recreation uses as well as retail can also lend itself to the fairground as a year round facility. Cities and counties should use the fairground as a driving force for new business and tourism. Positioning a convention center or multipurpose exhibition space on a fairground along with ample, convenient on site parking positions the community as an ideal place for large events, tradeshows, and concerts. For example, in Lincoln, Nebraska there is a strong desire to build a new convention center. The fairground’s proximity to the central business district makes it a prime location for consideration. With limited large pieces of land in downtown Lincoln, the fairgrounds is not only able to provide the land needed for a convention center that would meet the market demand, but also is able to provide the onsite parking needed to support such an activity.

In conclusion, it is essential fairs consider alternative options, ensuring its future role and presence in American culture. Creating a mix of uses through multipurpose buildings and space reflects the ideas behind smart growth seen across the nation, ensuring year round use of the fairground. It is important to remember fairs offer a unique experience based on community pride and tradition and fairgrounds can accommodate various large activities. Finally, it is important that not only the community consider the fairground in its comprehensive plan, but also that a fairground develop its own comprehensive or master plan to ensure the fair’s future role while allowing for the best and highest use of the grounds.

Author and Copyright Information

David Forkner’s career in planning and landscape architecture spans more than 25 years and includes the attainment of two master degrees, a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Master of Science in Planning from the University of Tennessee. As the Director of Planning for Bullock, Smith & Partners, Mr. Forkner has served as principal planner and landscape architect for the firm's fairgrounds projects, which include MetraPark in Billings, Montana; Dixie-Classic Fair in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts; and the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. He also represented the firm as a special design and planning consultant for the new $250 million facilities that were be part of the 2002 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. These facilities are the home of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales. Mr. Forkner has written articles and presented seminars on fairgrounds planning and design for the International Association for Fairs and Expositions. Mr. Forkner's firm, Bullock, Smith & Partners, specializes in the design and planning of fairgrounds, completing work for more than 140 fairgrounds in 47 states, Canada and Australia.

Bill Owens is a Senior Vice President with Economics Research Associates. He has 25 years experience in analysis and economic planning for tourism, recreation entertainment projects throughout the Eastern United States. One area of specialization is the market and financial analysis of fairgrounds. Fair clients have included large state fairs, such as th Ohio State Fair, Florida State Fair and Maryland State Fair; regional fairs, such as the South Florida Fair and Dixie Classic Fair, and more localized fairs, such as county fairs in Montgomery County, Ohio, Wyandotte County, Kansas and Prince George’s County, Maryland Bill’s work frequently includes attendance projections, assessment of operations and financial performance, funding strategies, creation of public-private partnerships, and evaluation of economics impacts.

Pat Lloyd is the Executive Director for the Nebraska State Fair in Lincoln. Mr. Lloyd holds a Master of Regional and City Planning from the University of Oklahoma. He served as a senior planner and chief planner in Montana and Oklahoma before joining the Tulsa State Fair in 1980. He has since served as the Executive Director of the Tulsa State Fair and the Nebraska State Fair. Mr. Lloyd has over 20 years of experience in the fair industry, serving also as the President of the International Association of Fairs & Expositions in 1995 and President of the Mid-West Fairs Association in 1988.