Where did our State Fair go?

[Easy180]

I don't think it has changed as much as many are saying on here...Think a lot of it can be chalked up to everything seems more fun and better when we are younger and it all gets a little suckier every year we get older

[Pete]

The Tulsa State Fair is actually slightly bigger in attendance.

And I know several others that are larger: Texas, Ohio, Minnesota and I believe a few others.

[Pete]

Do they still have a day for school kids?

During the 60's and 70's, we actually got a day off of public school (Putnam City & OKC Schools anyway) and got in for free or nearly free.

[dmoor82]

I know that The Kansas State fair has bigger names for there concert series!and The Kansas State fair is in Hutchinson a city of <60,000!How has The OK state fair gone so far down hill?I know I read something about 10-15 years ago saying The OK state fair was The 3rd biggest fair in The Country!but I dont know if that was attendance or area or what!

[Rover]

It is cleaner, safer and less dangerous for kids. I can understand why some of you want to go back to the good ole days.

Oh, and getting the year round fairgrounds to pay for itself is a pretty bad idea.

[crimsoncrazy]

Is the space needle the next thing to get torn down?

http://www.newsok.com/no-space-needl...rticle/3494636

[Larry OKC]

crimsoncrazy: sure looks that way, they are talking about it with the same terms they used before they destroyed the monorail, the speedway and everything in between

[Thunder]

There goes the space needle. :-(

But... That is okay. They never provide AC and never provide interpreter in that ride anyway.

[flintysooner]

Do they still have a day for school kids?

During the 60's and 70's, we actually got a day off of public school (Putnam City & OKC Schools anyway) and got in for free or nearly free.

I think Sep 20th is school day at the fair and students K thru 12 are allowed in free.

I know at least some of the smaller school districts have a professional day that coincides with Sep 20. But as far as I can tell the metropolitan schools do not.

[Laramie]

All the iconic structures of the State Fair of Oklahoma are slowing disappearing from the landscape.

When is the City going to build something and stop half-stepping at Fair Park?

In February of 1968, there was talk of a proposed 100,000-seat stadium which would have cost around $5 to $7 million to build at the time (Oklahoman reported); we never pursued that.

Now, the few iconic structures we have at Fair Park at quickly disappearing.

Help, Chesapeake, Devon and Sandridge--we need you!

We need to replace the Space Tower with something 500 plus feet or taller.

Looks like we may be headed the stock show route which is popular in Houston and San Antonio.

Moo!

[jmarkross]

Is the space needle the next thing to get torn down?

http://www.newsok.com/no-space-needl...rticle/3494636

The poor thing is worn out...needs to go. Concentrate on a replacement...things come and go in this life...I was there when it first opened about 300 years ago...

[stick47]

The VERY exorbitant pricing for booth spaces at the state fair is actually hurting Oklahoma's economy. I know of some companys that used to exhibit there but even back 25 years ago the fair was charging $1500/day for a 10 ft by 10 ft spot so they quit showing.
As it is now, the only vendors you see are the mega high profit siding companies, etc. Something about the Fair has a bad smell to it IMO.

[BBatesokc]

I know of some companys that used to exhibit there but even back 25 years ago the fair was charging $1500/day for a 10 ft by 10 ft spot

The fair is expensive to display in for many small businesses, but lets not further promote the myths. I guarantee you a 10x10 booth 25-years ago was not $1,500/day.

According to this years price chart a premium 10x10 space (endcap, corner, indoors) is only $10/sq foot.

[stick47]

I was told by a business what I posted and it was for an outside spot. Brian are your numbers per day or for the entire run?

[BBatesokc]

I was told by a business what I posted and it was for an outside spot. Brian are your numbers per day or for the entire run?

Regardless, $10/foot is only $1,000 as opposed to $1,500. Outside spots are actually cheaper $6-$8/sq foot. The rate card doesn't say specifically if the rate is per day or the entire run. I personally was under the impression from reading the chart that, that rate covers the entire run of the fair (common sense applied). I know a friend that has a booth to promote and sell her self published book and I know they would not be paying $1,000 a day and all OTC (Over The Counter) displays are charged the same rate. Some businesses also have to pay a percentage of their sales. That being said, if the business you talked to is VERY popular, then yes, they could be paying alot per day based on a percentage of sales but not actual booth rent.

Not trying to argue or be all 'smarty pants' I just hate to see an already (and rightly so) negative image of our fair tarnished more by misinformation. However, my information is simply based on the fair's own website, not personal experience.

[stick47]

Anyone know the charge for table space at Affair of the Heart? I was also told that ran $250 a day for an 8 ft table. Or maybe I just always run into Fairgrounds Haters? <LOL>

[metro]

Who cares, fairs across the country are broke or even not doing them anymore. It's an old business model. Times have changed. Last year was the first time I went in 15 years, and I'm the 30 and younger crowd. I think the fair appeals more to the rural and older demographic who looks forward to it each year out of nostalgia. The nostalgia has rapidly died off over the last decade due to other newer forms of entertainment. I'm glad they are making lots of strides in improvements at the State Fair Park, but it needs about a BILLION dollars or more in additional improvements to make it worth much or comparable to other places. I am planning on going this year just to eat the food, was disappointed last night when I got on their website and there is no food menu from the vendors or even listing what food vendors they will have. That's a shame, Texas does it well by promoting the newest foods for that year about 2 months early and usually get national attention for it.

As far as the figures, the $1500 a day sounds about right for an inside table, I was going to get one 2 years ago for my employer at the time and I remember it being nearly $20K.

[Midtowner]

They're getting rid of decaying artifacts and replacing them with facilities which produce income year-round. Maybe someday, those year-round income-producing facilities can fund building for less outdated unique attractions?

[BBatesokc]

Their rates can be found on this page...... http://www.okstatefair.com/commercial_applicants.asp

[metro]

Can't compare us to Texas, they have 25 million people to pay for it, Oklahoma has only 3 million, in which Tulsa also has their own fair. The fairgrounds are a dump anyways and an eyesore on that part of town. The times and economic models are different and we either have to adapt or die. This isn't 1960 folks. Devon, Project 180, OKC Thunder, Grand Prix and other more modern forms of entertainment are the showcase to our bright future. Quit living in the past, the best days for OKC are ahead!

[Midtowner]

Can't compare us to Texas, they have 25 million people to pay for it, Oklahoma has only 3 million, in which Tulsa also has their own fair. The fairgrounds are a dump anyways and an eyesore on that part of town. The times and economic models are different and we either have to adapt or die. This isn't 1960 folks. Devon, Project 180, OKC Thunder, Grand Prix and other more modern forms of entertainment are the showcase to our bright future. Quit living in the past, the best days for OKC are ahead!

Agreed to an extent. However, it must be added that sometimes nostalgia has a decent monetary value, not to mention a hell of an aesthetic value. Take something like the dingy looking 'space needle' at the State Fair Park. It is in horrible condition. It is almost a relic.

Imagine how cool it'd be to still have it around 100 years from now and completely restored? Sometimes, when you're able to say "they don't make 'em like that anymore," that should be reason enough to keep it around. I agree that right now, it makes no sense to get it back up and running. But later, it might actually be a crown jewel amidst a bunch of uninteresting steel buildings and barns.

[kevinpate]

FWIW, the published rates are per sq foot and cover the run of the fair and are not daily rates. There can be additional charges for extra electrical needs or other add-ons and food vendors and pay to play vendors operate on a percentage of sales basis, as others have noted.

So, an outdoor bulk space vendor who doesn't need extras and who has a top end outdoor spot for 4.00 per sf and needs 5000 sf, pays 20G for using the space. Any extras for more electrical, etc. add on to that figure.

been there, done that, had a lot of fun with it, but that's just a blast from the past.

[Pete]

It seems like fairs all over the country are struggling. There has been one in my area of California for decades that recently folded... And some quick research shows that attendance has been falling pretty much all over.

So, like just about everything else in the fast-paced information age, fairs have to adapt to survive.

The OK State Fair only runs less than two weeks a year and the fairgrounds has to come up with other things to justify investment. Seems like they've been doing a good job of that while still maintaining most of what we have all come to expect during the state fair run.

[Jesseda]

I know this is crazy but instead of the oil derrick thing that was proposed to be built over the oklahoma river, how about placing it at the state fair in replacing of the needle!!!!

[jstaylor62]

Having a food booth at the fair is a tremendous undertaking! The State Fair Board even made it more diffcult when they expand the fair from 10 days to 19 days. Booth renters were paying even more with sales spread out over 19 days instead of 10. At least now they have dropped the length back to 11 days. Food booth vendors are considering rent, labor, food costs and other logistics costs into their business plan. If they cant make a decent profit, then its not worth setting up a booth. Who wants to work 16 hour days for almost two weeks and just break even.