State Fair needs support, ideas from entire county

It seems like a no-brainer. The Wyoming State Fair is a vitally important lynch pin in the entire Converse County economy. Outside of the 600-pound gorilla of energy production, tourism still is a major economic player in Douglas and Glenrock. While Deer Creek Days produces a healthy, three-day dose of income to businesses in this end of the county each August, the State Fair pumps huge amounts of cash for a full week not just into Douglas but into the entire county and the surrounding areas, too.

So, while at first glance the comments in last week’s state fair brainstorming session in Douglas about making that fact known seems a little simplistic, the reality is many people have long ignored how important it is to our communities. The fair, especially in the decades of social media and instant gratification, has lost any glamour it may have had and often is derided for pretty much everything.

That isn’t entirely fair, but it is the world in which we are living. It is what it is, as they say. To combat that requires education of what the fair is all about today, but it also requires state Department of Agriculture officials to finally understand the world is changing and the fair must adapt.

To that end, fair supporters from throughout the county and even from around the rest of the state are beginning discussions of what to do topromote the fair, to make it healthier and broaden its appeal. Realistically, if the fair continues on the downward trend its been on for a few years (lower revenues and dwindling attendance, for example) and if the Wyoming Legislature sees the fair as an easy place to curb spending, the handwriting is on the wall.

We need to erase that version of the fair’s future and write a better one. It would be a story with more attendance, with better and more entertainment, with events designed to attract a changing demographic.

But that version of the future requires input and volunteers willing to roll up their sleeves. We encourage anyone with an interest in seeing the fair change and improve to attend the community meetings later this summer and fall. Bring your ideas and your willingness to help bring about new events because the fair is too important to our county and state to watch it fade.