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Weather brings big crowds to Geauga County Fair
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - September 10, 2009)
Weather brings big crowds to Geauga County Fair
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Perfect weather brought out some of the largest crowds in the past decade to the Great Geauga County Fair.
The official account after the five-day run of the 187th fair in Burton was 233,036, the highest mark seen by the fair in the past 10 years. Last year, the five-day event saw 208,782 come through the gates.
This year's turnout was helped by one of the busiest Fridays on record with 50,300 arriving throughout the day. Last year, the Friday turnout was 39,753.
James McCaskey, one of the fair director, who oversaw the parking, said officials made use of the parking at the Geauga branch of Kent State University to handle Friday's traffic. "We were parking them at Kent State -- we've never done that before," he said.
Mr. McCaskey said it was likely the perfect weather, low 80s and sunshine, probably made the fair a perfect place for families to come and spend the day.
Rain showed on the final day of the fair, but lasted only about 30 minutes and acted as no deterrent to the crowds. Mr. McCaskey said people continued to arrive at the fair even during the rain.
He said while rain can play a role in the numbers that turnout, heat also can keep people away. This year, he said, fair officials had to worry about neither.
"Just gorgeous," Paul Harris, another fair director, said of the weather. "You couldn't dial it up any better."
Mr. Harris said only the little rain that arrived Monday put a short damper on the affair.
But, in the overall picture, Mr. Harris said, the fair was a success with virtually every event showing an increase in revenue.
"The shows all did exceptionally well," he said.
The fair moved away from the "big name" country acts that it had featured in the past, Mr. Harris said. The move was strictly financial and it appeared to pay off.
He said a monster truck show on Friday night drew huge crowds and spectators were rewarded with a "tremendous show."
"Everything was up, including the harness racing Saturday night," Mr. Harris said.
He said the fair has tried to stay a "family friendly, fun affair" and appeared to have accomplished that. One of his favorite sights is the young children who participate and those who come just to enjoy it. He said the kids at this year's fair seemed to give it their unofficial stamp of approval.
The fair got off to an exciting start for one Hambden Township man, who came with his donkey, Fritz.
Edward Grennan was cleaning out the pens in the donkey tent at 6:30 a.m. Thursday when he found his heart racing, but not because of his anticipation of the fair opening.
During the morning routine, he said, four guys came rushing into tent and quickly told Mr. Grennan to be calm.
"I said I always am," Mr. Grennan said. "What are you talking about?"
It was then Fritz began braying and Mr. Grennan turned to see a large black angus bull come through the 4-foot opening in the tent. The bull apparently had broken free of its handler and made its way into the donkey tent, he said.
Mr. Grennan said it was so large it appeared to him to be as large as the 15-foot tall fiberglass steer that stands outside the beef barn.
It was then that Fritz took charge of the situation, he said.
The bull was making his way into the tent when Fritz grabbed him by the nose with his teeth, Mr. Grennan said.
"It seemed he (the bull) wanted to ram him, but after he got his nose bit, the bull didn't want any part of him," he said.
Mr. Grennan said the bull pulled with all of his might, but couldn't shake the donkey from his hold.
Mr. Grennan said he wasn't about to get between the two. "You don't live to be 66 by doing crazy things," he said.
The tussle continued until Mr. Grennan grabbed his whip and cracked it above his donkey's head.
"It's funny now, but it wasn't funny then," he said.
The four guys were able to grab hold of the lead on the bull and another roped him, but the bull took off away from the tent, taking one of the young handlers on an airborne ride away, he said.
Mr. Grennan said he believes his donkey took on a protective role that day, trying to keep the bull away from him.
"I have a whole new outlook on him," Mr. Grennan said. "He was always so docile and would do whatever I wanted. But, that day, Fritz was rearing up and trying to get out of his pen to go after that bull."
Mr. Harris said there is little time to languish in the glow of this year's fair as officials are already busy preparing for next year's.
"We're already heading for the 188th fair with another one in the books," he said. "It just keep's getting bigger and better."
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