Kick-off excites community for return of GJCF

     On Wednesday evening, June 9, the annual Great Jones County Fair Kick-off celebration went off without a hitch, and did just what it was intended to do: Get the crowd excited for the return of the county fair.

     The 2020 GJCF had to be modified due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the midway and entertainment were non-existent, the 4-H and FFA youth still had the opportunity to showcase their projects and livestock.

     The return of the GJCF as everyone has always known it is much anticipated.

     GJCF General Manager John Harms welcomed everyone to the kick-off outside at the equestrian center. The humid, hot evening was reminiscent of the typical fair weather.

     Harms said the first indication that the Fair Board would need to have a serious discussion was when Zac Brown Band cancelled its 2020 tour in mid-March.

     “In the fair industry, everybody waits for somebody else to make the first move,” Harms explained as to whether the fair or the entertainment would budge first. “There wasn’t anyone to offer us any real suggestions as to whether we should or shouldn’t (have a fair), and we knew we were being looked at as perhaps one of those who would make the first move.”

     While Zac Brown Band was out, the other musical acts were just postponing their tours into mid-2020.

     So the Fair Board did some calculations to gage whether people would attend a normal fair during a pandemic and how much money they might spend.

     “What we needed was to try and figure out how many dollars we needed at the end of the day,” said Harms.

     He said the board had to keep in mind that expenses would remain the same, despite a decrease in attendance.

     “So we went through the math and came with a board average that was somewhere in the high 60s,” continued Harms. “So that meant that we were only going to have 60 cents on the dollar as our revenue to help pay for almost 100 percent of our expenses. That doesn’t work.”

     This eye-opening experience led to a tough decision to host a modified fair, again, just allowing the youth to exhibit livestock and projects, acknowledging a year of hard work and dedication in preparing for the fair.

     The fair made the official announcement after Memorial Day, not wanting to spoil the start to summer with negative news about the GJCF.

     “That gave us a couple of weeks to talk with our partners and also talk with our public health officials in the county to be able to give us the opportunity to make the decision first before the entertainers,” explained Harms.

     The livestock judging was spread out in nine days rather than the typical five to encourage social distancing and to have less people on the grounds. Instead of the typical three or four shows in one day, several taking place at once, there was only one or two livestock shows per day. Also, there was no livestock remaining in the barns following the shows; they had to vacate the grounds the same day.

     “It turned out to be very popular with the parents and the kids,” remarked Harms. “There was a request as to what we could do going forward. Maybe not a nine-day event, but something that’s going to allow us to better enjoy the fair.”

     Iowa State Extension Regional Director RaeAnn Gordon said 2020 “was the toughest fair (she’s) experienced.”

     Coming from a third-generation 4-H family, she made so many great memories during her years in 4-H.

     “It was difficult for us last year,” recalled Gordon. “If anyone would have told me going into this position that I would have to tell kids they wouldn’t get to show their animals at the fair, I don’t know what I would have thought about that.”

     Gordon said everyone is excited and looking forward to fair week this July.

     Harms said tickets are selling for the four nights of concert entertainment. In fact, Sunday’s contemporary Christian concert featuring For King & Country, is the best-selling Sunday show since the fair started offering this genre of entertainment.

     “And we still have a month to go,” he said of continued ticket sales.

     New this year in the Kids’ Zone, which is sponsored by Jones Regional Medical Center, a bicycle will be given away each day of the fair. Then, on Friday, there will be a bike safety workshop with 100 helmets given away as well.

     A new feature to the fair this year will be the Taste of Tuscany and Craft Beer tent. Local wine growers will showcase their homemade wines for tasting. Various Eastern Iowa breweries will be featured daily as well.

     Harms said the midway rides and games are looking forward to returning, too, though, like every other business operation, they are having trouble securing workers.

     “Our carnival vendor has been traveling the country,” Harms shared. “He tells me that every place he’s been he’s seen record levels of attendance and activity. The downside to that is getting enough help.”