By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
Wood County Fair Board President Paul Perry aims to enhance the fair’s image and reaffirm its mission to foster a community where everyone feels they belong, share important traditions, and cultivate a sense of connection, pride, and purpose.
Because the fair board directors are the decision makers for each year’s fair, Perry kicked off the January fair board meeting with a message to the directors and an activity to focus on three questions to guide their actions in the coming year.
He told the directors that their roles on the board are important.
“You are difference makers in this room. What you do is far more than organize events, schedules and logistics. You’re building a community,” Perry said in setting a purpose-driven tone for the new year.
“The impact cannot be measured simply in attendance or financial reports, it’s measured in the lives touched,” Perry said.
He asked the members to break into small groups to start the discussion about their core purpose. Each of the three groups had a different topic to discuss: sustainability of the fair, stress management to help retain directors and volunteers, and identifying “what truly matters.”
Key takeaways emphasized improving communication, early planning, and maintaining a positive community focus.
“Thank you for being the kind of leaders who build more than a fair. You are truly building a community that we have here.” Perry said.
Big hopes for high-caliber rodeo
The Wood County Fair Board is hoping a high-caliber rodeo on Friday night of the fair, might be an event that fairgoers will attend and enjoy. The rodeo will be on Friday, Aug. 7. The fair dates for 2026 are Sunday, Aug. 2 through Sunday, Aug. 9.
Entertainment Chairman Dave Nietz said he has booked a rodeo company out of Alabama that is on a big-time rodeo circuit.
During a detailed discussion about the rodeo, Nietz suggested and the board approved not to charge an additional fee for fairgoers to attend the rodeo. By making attendance at the rodeo free for people who attend the fair on Friday, the board hopes to increase overall fair attendance that night.
He explained that if the fair board decided to charge an additional fee to see the rodeo, the first $2,000 raised in selling tickets would go to paying ticket takers.
The decision to offer a top-notch rodeo could impact the fair’s attendance and public perception. If successful and well sponsored, it could set a new precedent for grandstand events and boost revenue for on-site vendors.
“I think it might be worth a shot one year to see if this might work,” he said.
They also outlined plans to seek a presenting sponsor and other corporate sponsorships to help offset the rodeo’s $30,000 cost.
Sponsorship opportunities could include the bucking chutes, the arena and the rodeo clowns.
The rodeo will also be hosting a youth clinic in the afternoon for 50 to 75 youths.
“We’re in pretty good shape” with the rest of the entertainment for the fair, Nietz said.
In the family-friendly zone south of the grandstands, the sea lion act will be back starting Tuesday at the fair, he announced. However, the stingray exhibit won’t be back because they prefer to show in conjunction with the shark exhibit. “And the sharks kind of priced themselves out of the market for us,” he said.
In place of the sharks and stingrays, the fair will welcome a Birds of Prey show. The company will present three shows each day, and the featured birds, including owls, eagles, vultures and hawks, will also be on display during the entire fair.
On Tuesday night of the fair, Nietz said there will be a local band performing, though the location has not yet been determined.
In previous years, they have hosted several area bands on different nights in the Grove. “The Grove is a beautiful area, but there is no drawback there,” he said. “We’ve had good acts back there, but after five and six o’clock, people just don’t go back there.”
The fair tractor pull is on Saturday (Aug. 8) in front of the grandstand, and the Demolition Derby is on Sunday (Aug.9).
In other business:
- Collin Britton was sworn in as a new fair board director. He was elected as one of the five new members in December, pending the final background check.
- Conni Grames was elected secretary to the board. The secretary position opened after former board secretary Jessica Nagel resigned from the board at the end of December.
- John Nissen suggested the fair board might consider hosting cheerleading or wrestling competitions in the off-season of the fair “to attract different audiences and create off-season revenue.” He mentioned an idea to purchase mats that could be used for those types of events.
- Directors shared some of the ideas they learned at the recent Ohio Fair Managers Association Convention in Columbus, including emerging trends in fair management such as the need for increased social media, marketing, online promotions and cohesive branding.
