Revamped 5-Day Fair With All New Carnival Coming In September: "Old Way, New Day"

Darren Doyle, story:
Several changes in the Edmonson Lions Club have come about over the last year with some new leadership overseeing the county fair.

After a decline in fair interest since it was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, local resident Donnie Turley, along with some other men felt a need to try to do more. There has been no carnival at the Edmonson County Fair since 2019, and even then, quality carnivals are hard to find that fit small town budgets.

Turley was recently elected the new Fair Board Chairman and immediately went to work trying to find a way to bring back the old days of the fair when kids were excited and families looked forward to bringing their household out to the once-a-year event. Edmonson County is still likely the only school system in Kentucky that finds a way to close school for a day to allow kids to enjoy the annual Fair Day Parade and Fair Day.

Turley, along with County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey, who is also the new Lions Club Vice President, and Corey Culbreth, the KY Farm Bureau Representative serving on the Fair Board, sat down with the Edmonson Voice to discuss the improvements that are expected at this year's fair.

"I just remember the memories that I have as a kid going to the parade, getting out of school, running around with all my friends at the fair," Lindsey said. "Our theme, which is Old Way, New Day, is intended to honor the history of the fair in our county while doing our best to bring more value to the fair. It's not about us, it's about our community."

Turley said after COVID, interest in the fair began fading fast, and at the current pace, doubts as to whether or not the fair could survive arose.

"We're trying to build it back and you have to start somewhere," Turley said. "We've finally found a reputable carnival company that we feel is safe, reliable, and can bring attractions that the community can enjoy. The rides will be much bigger, better, and it's something we can all be proud of."

Along with a new carnival, the new Fair Board is streamlining the fair into a 5-day event, instead of multiple weekends and gaps that were difficult to schedule. Dates will be Tuesday, Sept. 5th to Sept. 9th and will include the following events with a full carnival each night:

"We're trying to bring the most quality in a shorter amount of time," Turley said. "We really feel like there's going to be something for everyone, and for all ages."

Corey Culbreth, who helped design this year's fair logo, said while growing up, the fair was something he also looked forward to each year.

"We want to help rebuild this into the same experiences like I had as a kid," he said. "We didn't go to Disney like some families did, so the fair was a really big deal to me. We're hoping to make it a really big deal for more kids this year, like it used to be, and we're glad so many have supported our vision so far."

With a new carnival comes new costs--something that has hindered not only the fair in the past, but also literally every other thing in Edmonson County throughout the years. Larger carnival companies require lots of money up front, which was something on which the Lions Club felt like they couldn't take a chance in years past. This year, the Fair Board  began reaching out to local businesses for sponsorships to help guarantee a quality carnival, and the businesses responded.

The same approach was taken by the Edmonson County Chamber of Commerce last year when they announced a new festival in Brownsville, The Big Brownsville Bash, with a carnival. Corporate sponsors helped paved the way for the Chamber to bring new activities to the community. While the carnival didn't knock anybody off their feet (figuratively and literally), the idea of something new in the community was well received. The Bash was never intended to be competition to the fair, but only a community addition. The Chamber and Fair Board both agree that each have a place in the community, with the Bash kicking off the summer season, while the Fair brings it to an end.

In addition to the above scheduled events, the fair is continuing its baby and beauty pageants, but moving them both to earlier dates so that winners have opportunity to compete at the state levels. Fair goers also often complained about having the baby pageant outdoor at the fairgrounds due to hot or unpredictable weather, and since the pageants have been held off-site at ECHS for many years, the decision was made to handle the baby pageant in the same manner. The baby pageants have already taken place and the beauty pageants are scheduled for Saturday, August 26th at ECHS.

"We feel like the fair has always been great for this county," Turley added. "We just want to add to the foundation that's been laid over the years and see it go on for many more."

Admission to the fair will be $15 per person, per night, which includes all the carnival rides and the nightly events, with free admission for anyone under 32 inches tall. Fair Day, which is Friday, September 8th, will allow kids and students to purchase $10 arm bands for unlimited rides from 10AM until 3PM.