NEWS BLOG (WSAU) There are two things the Wisconsin Valley Fair Board of Directors can’t control. They have no say over the weather. The also have no control over the popularity of their musical acts between when they’re booked in the fall and when they perform the following summer.

The fair had the best possible circumstances this year.

There was very little rain. And no one knew that Lady Antebellum would win a Grammy and have multiple hits on county and top 40 radio stations since the fair booked them last September. Eric Church’s star has also been on the rise since last fall. And in normal years, either .38 Special or The Bodeans would have been legitimate fair headliners on their own.

Two years ago, you recall that Seether was booked as one of their fair’s headliners. Their tour was suddenly called off because of a drug overdose involving a band member. The growing popularity of this year’s musical acts shows that good luck and bad luck tend to even out over time.

I have no idea what the fair’s finances will look like this year. I also think it’s none of the public’s business. The Marathon County Agricultural Society is a private group. They’re under no obligation to open their books to anyone. But they’re shared in recent years that times have been lean – mostly because of the not-so-good economy. This year there are many signs that the fair did very well. If it’s true, I’m glad.

Chris Conley
Operations Manager, Midwest Communications-Wausau
8.9.10

PS – Mrs. Conley is a regular fair exhibitor in the photography and collections departments. Last Christmas Mrs. Conley got a new high resolution camera, and she’s been taking better pictures than ever before. This year she won 15 ribbons, including a first place and best in show for her photograph of our next-door-neighbor’s daughters.

For my wife, it was a very good fair.