All-day ride tickets on sale for Great Northern Fair

Advance sales of wristbands giving all-day access to rides at the 2017 Great Northern Fair are available now, Great Northern Fairgrounds manager Dave Brewer said at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Great Northern Fair Board.

The fair runs July 18 to 23 this year.

Each wristband will allow the fairgoer up to a day’s worth of rides without having to pay before getting on each individual ride.  

Brewer said he delivered wristbands to Gary & Leo’s Fresh Foods last Wednesday where they will be sold at the courtesy counter. Tickets can also be purchased at the fairgrounds office.

The board also heard that 4-H will host a pinewood derby race at the fair Saturday, July 22.

Cody Solomon of Hill County 4-H said the race will start at 3:30 p.m.

The race is open to adults and children in Hill County including non-4-H members. A basic kit can be bought for $5 from Hill County 4-H or people can build a car using their own kit.

Information provided by Solomon after the meeting said a project workshop day is set at Pepin Park at 3:30 p.m Sunday. It will be open to the public.

The race has four divisions: Cloverbuds, ages 5 through 7; juniors, 8 through 13; senior, ages 14 through 19; and alumni or leaders ages 19 and older.

Cars will also be judged based on appearance in each division, the handout says. Cars will be weighed and displayed Wednesday, July 19, from noon until 6 p.m. at the 4-H Exhibit building.

Winners will be presented with awards and trophies Saturday.

For more information on the guidelines cars must meet to qualify for the race people can contact Solomon at 390-3992.

The board voted unanimously on two changes to the fair’s policy, reducing the fee paid by vendors who set up displays in the middle bay of the Commercial Building during the fair.

Organizations that have already arranged to have a display in the commercial building will also be notified and given the opportunity to move into the middle bay at a reduced rate.

The new fee to set up a table during the fair in the center bay is $75 for nonprofit organizations and $125 for vendors that sell products.

The fee to set up a table in either the left or right bay will remain at $100 for nonprofit vendors and $150 for vendors who sell items.

Members agreed that vendors who already made arrangements would be notified and offered the chance to move to the center bay at the discount rate.

The change came after board member Chelby Gooch said she has heard of some complaints they would not come to the fair and set up displays.

Fairgrounds secretary Linda Ferguson said two or three vendors have called to arrange to have displays in the commercial center.

The center bay has had fewer vendors over the years.

Cody Solomon said he goes to trade shows and fairs as a business person and that the Great Northern Fair’s fees to set up a display are on the higher side.

Board Chair Paul McCann said the fairgrounds often is maintained from money generated from such fees and they should be careful with any reduction.

Board member Tyler Smith said he guesses that 10 percent of people who have already signed up to be in one of the two other bays would be willing to move to the middle bay.

“If it moves the ball, we know we are onto something,” Smith said.