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Great Northern Fair comes together

The Hill County Fair Board discussed the upcoming Great Northern Fair during their meeting at the fairgrounds Tuesday, with fairgrounds Manager Tim Solomon saying preparations are nearly complete.

Solomon said the carnival is pretty well set, with ticket prices running the same as last year. The list of food booths also is about complete, with mostly the same vendors as last year and one planning to return after a one-year absence.

Solomon said a shaved-ice booth that was at the 2009 fair is interested in coming back this summer.

He said work is planned to upgrade the roads at the fairgrounds, which are in rough shape following the winter weather. Hill County Road and Bridge Supervisor Jerry Otto plans to come in and lay down some barrier over the exposed dirt and cover that with gravel once more work is completed on county roads.

"It won't be paved, but at least it won't be something you will sink in on, " Solomon said.

Board member Missy Boucher, also the treasurer of the fair funding foundation, reported a successful fundraiser last month with the Rockin' the Hills event.

"We had an awesome concert, " she said, "Everybody who came stayed (through the entire show). "

She said the event raised a little less than $3,500, to be used in improvements at the fairgrounds.

Board member Andy Owens set a meeting at the fairgrounds with the Havre Youth Baseball Association for 1 p. m. Sunday to talk about work to repair the fence at the beer garden and other work needed at that site.

The association sponsors the beer garden annually as its major fundraiser.

Solomon said he did have a problem with the recent carnival that was held at the fairgrounds bringing in the same free stage entertainment that is planned for the fair — a stingray display. He said that because the entertainment will be catering to the same group of people, it could lessen its draw during the fair.

"I wasn't too impressed, " Solomon said.

He said work is ongoing to plan repairs to the roof of the horse barn.

 

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