JEFFERSON — With just a few spotty storms on the radar along the Iowa/Wisconsin border Sunday afternoon, it appeared the Jefferson County Fair for 2019 would get away with a precipitation-free run in 2019.
That’s not to say, however, that the fair was without a few punches from Mother Nature, namely sunny skies and high temperatures. Yet, those did not deter fair-goers and the 167th annual event ended its five-day run on a high note.
“Things are going great,” Amy Listle, Jefferson County Fair and park event director, said Sunday afternoon. “We’ve had an awesome week. The fair has a few more hours left, and the demolition derby and the carnival rides are still going on, as is the work of vendors and exhibitors. Everybody will start tearing down around 6 p.m. and we are just now enjoying the last couple hours of this fair.”
“Attendance is on track to be similar to numbers from the past,” she said.
The Jefferson County Fair can be a real summer sizzler of an event, and with no rain during its run, which began Wednesday, the unusual dryness of the grounds required some attention from fair park grounds personnel.
“We had no rain for the entire five days. It was hot, but we had a really good breeze most of the time, so the air has been flowing and that has made the heat not as noticeable. We are happy for no rain, but we did use our water wagons more to keep the dust from the gravel down,” Listle said.
This year’s national musical offerings, exclusively from the more modern realm of country music, were well-received at the Fair Park’s grandstand stage. Friday evening saw the Roots & Boots ’90s Electric Throwdown onstage, featuring Aaron Tippin, Collin Raye and Sammy Kershaw. Saturday it was Walker Hayes with Drake White and the Big Fire.
“We received awesome feedback about the concerts,” Listle said, adding the large crowds in attendance were manageable.
The fair traditionally has a Fort HealthCare first-aid station on site, along with the Jefferson EMS attending, so any medical problems from a cut on a finger to something major are able to be handled. There were no serious medical emergencies of which Listle was aware.
The sea lions act, along with Disconnected Canines, were popular entertainment stage offerings
“We have heard great things about these shows,” Listle said.
Rarely does any major summer event, whether it’s Milwaukee’s Summerfest or Jefferson County’s fair, come without a few hang-ups.
According to Listle, some of the chickens on exhibit suffered from heat stress and the carnival ride Air Maxx was stuck with riders on it for a considerable length of time.
“The Air Maxx was stuck, but the carnival workers followed all the protocols and assisted the riders. There were no injuries or major issues,” Listle said.
When asked to characterize the 2019 fair when compared to others, Listle said this year’s event offered a lot of new things, including the new swine barn, a wine station and the addition of several acoustic music acts.
“We are always evaluating the Fair Park and looking to improve it,” she said. “This year, in a big way, an improvement was the swine barn. Now we want to add a PA into the swine barn so we can better make announcements. We are always learning new things and trying to improve the fair.”
Although Listle has been a familiar face at the fair for many years, this year’s stepped-up role as director was something she seemed to cherish.
“I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I’ve always loved working at the fair. Everyone has been so supportive and excited, and that is what makes me so excited about the years ahead at the Jefferson County Fair.”
Listle thanked all who attended the 2019 Jefferson County Fair and gave a sneak peek at 2020’s event when she announced that from July 8-12, the fair will travel under the theme “The Year of the Goat.”