WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Some less than favorable weather didn’t keep the crowds away at the sesquicentennial edition of the Wisconsin Valley Fair.
Interim Director Jodi Langenhahn said the final numbers are still being tabulated but despite two rainy days most vendors and exhibitors were happy with the turnout. “I think they had an average to good year is what I’ve been hearing. I haven’t talked to everybody but the ones I have talked to have been pleased.
Rain actually played a factor in two days at the fair including Wednesday and Saturday. Langenhahn said they saw the biggest attendance hit on Saturday because of the timing of the rain in the evening. “It was at that kind of point in the day where people saw the rain, and they went home.” The rain did delay the start of the BMX bike show as well, but she said despite those factors they were happy with the attendance for the first-year event.
She says they also had the benefit of some understanding grandstand acts, particularly Christian rockers Skillet who promised to wait until Midnight to perform if they had to. “I don’t know if they would have waited that long, but we waited and the show went on at about 8:30.”
Langenhahn says she’s not sure if she will be back as fair director for the 2019 edition but promises she will still be involved in the event in one capacity or another. “This is my eighth fair that I’ve worked on in some capacity, so I’ll be back next year. The board will have to do a little discussing to see exactly where we go,” She adds that preparations have already begun for the next fair in 360 short days.
The 151st edition of the fair will run from July 30th to August 4th, 2019.
