ONTARIO – For more than a week, Amy Wood’s day began at dawn and stretched into the late night hours.
Yet that was just fine with Wood, who stood at the helm of the Malheur County Fair for the first time this year.
“The biggest challenge was not knowing what to expect and what was coming,” said Wood, who became fair manager in March.
Final attendance statistics were not available Monday, Aug. 5, but Wood and several fair board members said the 2024 edition of the fair was a success.
“We did pretty good this year,” said Jen Hall, fair board member.
Wood said she relished her busy schedule during the fair.
She said she also learned a lot.
“There was some breakdowns in communication so we had a few things getting fixed in the middle of the fair,” she said.
Those issues, though, were minor.For the first time in its 115-year history, the fair offered free admission, a tactic Wood said paid off.
“I had a lot of the community say the thought it was great and they were glad we did it,” said Wood.
Still, Wood said she felt attendance could have been higher still but the heat and the wildfires still burning in the region – played a role.
“There was a noticeable decline in people out and about during the really hot part of Thursday and Friday afternoon. But that’s something we can’t control,” she said.
The heat index climbed over 100 degrees on Thursday, Aug. 1 and Friday, Aug. 2.
Wood said she will also likely tweak the entertainment schedule next year.
“I want to try them a little bit later next year because it was so hot. When the sun goes down, people get a little more inclined to dance around,” she said.
The fair rodeo was a success, said fair board member Maddie Hewitt.
Hewitt said the Idaho Cowboy Association-sanctioned event attracted more than 300 contestants.
The rodeo was the culmination of work over the past year to renovate the grounds.
“The entire arena was redone. Fencing, new bucking chutes, new roping chutes and the catch pens were redone,” said Hewitt.
Hewitt said new LED lights also were installed in the rodeo bleachers.
The rodeo this year had a clown and that helped build an audience each night, said Hewitt.
“This year the rodeo was entertaining and I think that’s what really captured people’s attention,” said Hewitt.
Hewitt did not have total attendance numbers as of Monday, Aug. 5.
“But it was above my expectations,” said Hewitt.
News tip? Contact reporter Pat Caldwell at [email protected]
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