Burke County Fair officials learn lessons, plan for future

Last weekend’s Burke County Fall Carnival was a pared-down version of the Burke County Fair of old, but it planted the roots of what organizers hope will be a return to its former glory.

“You got to crawl before you walk,” said Shandy Denton Gossett, the president of the Fair Board. “And most people I talked to were thrilled we had something. Most everything I heard was positive feedback. I felt we had a good response from the community.”

The carnival ran from Wednesday through Saturday. There were only a couple of hiccups along the way, both occurring on the last day, she said.

The carnival workers thought the fair opened at noon (the correct time was 10 a.m.), forcing Gossett to knock on the doors of their campers to get them ready for carnival attendees. The ticket booth’s lights also weren’t working, but a flip of a switch on the breaker box corrected that. 

So Fun carnival operators brought rides, games, and some of the traditional food fare. The carnival company is the same one used by the Morganton Festival, Gossett said. 

While the carnival was purposely kept small, the Ruritans, who oversee the event and the fairgrounds, were flexible enough to make impromptu changes.

“We had people ask us where the fudge cakes were,” Gossett said, explaining that the sweet treat was a tradition at the old fair. “So on Friday morning, I got up really early and started baking.”

Fudge cakes were available at the Ruritan concession stand on Friday and Saturday. Due to customer demand, grilled cheese and livermush sandwiches were also added.

Other lessons learned:

• They need more volunteers.

• They need more rides.

• They need inflatables. 

• They need to market the event to potential vendors sooner.

• They need to advertise to residents earlier.

• They need more food vendors, particularly multicultural foods.

• They need to schedule the event for late September or early October. 

“We want the fair to appeal to everyone,” she added. 

She estimated about 1,500 people attended over the four days and was surprised that Friday – the coldest, wettest night – had the best attendance. 

“I want 1,500 people there every night,” she said. “I want this to become a full agricultural fair. If we get on top of it, if we get our date set, get our advertising right, we’ll draw a crowd,” she said.

After taking some time to catch her breath, she will begin working with the other volunteers to prepare for next year’s fair. 

The secretary and treasurer of the board, Marylin and Tommy Waters, will attend the North Carolina Association of Agricultural Fair’s annual convention in Raleigh in January. Many of the activities and entertainers are booked at that time. Gossett said she will begin working closely with the Burke County Extension Office in early 2024.

“I want the exhibitions, the vegetables, the flowers, canning,” she said. 

The fairgrounds buildings and property also need a few upgrades. 

The Fair Board is currently working with Duke Power to replace the parking lot lights that have been not functioning due to the wrong size wiring being installed originally. Temporary lights had to be rented for last week’s carnival. 

“And they are going to replace those lights with LEDs - hopefully by the end of the year,” she said. The change is made possible by a Duke Power grant.

The state budget approved by the North Carolina General Assembly in late September included allocations to Burke County for county fairs. Burke County Manager Brian Epley said $100,000 has been earmarked for the Burke County Fair. The money can be used for purchasing bleachers for the arena, an addition that Gossett had said was the No. 1 priority.

“Having a place to assemble is a top priority (for the Fair Board),” Epley said, adding he supports the facility upgrades. “Any type of event that builds community and what I like to call ‘cultural capital,’ is good for tourism and economic development, whether it is more of a carnival or agricultural fair. … The fair has new leadership, and (Gossett) has a vision and a lot of energy.”

Other needs identified by Gossett include new gutters for the buildings and lifting the foundation of the entertainment building, which has settled over the years.  

The Drexel Fair will also benefit from a state allocation. The state budget includes $200,000 for a new roof on the exhibit hall and needed equipment.

Epley said that the funds should be available in early 2024. No action by the Burke County Board of Commissioners is necessary as the money is a direct earmark in the state budget.   

Burke County Fair Board meetings are open to the public. The board meets the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the fair office, 145 Bost Road. Anyone interested in learning more about Ruritan or the Fair Board can contact Gossett at 828-640-2531.

Angela Kuper Copeland is the arts & entertainment editor at The Paper. She may be reached at angela@thepaper.media or 828-445-8595.