Funny and sad, both.
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?ci...N4L6tQOBy-iBAg
Funny and sad, both.
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?ci...N4L6tQOBy-iBAg
That's just silly.
I say replace it with a massive horse manure silo or a 900ft statue of Mayor MickCheese. That or just simply replace the fairgrounds with an Express Credit Auto, David Stanely Chevrolet, the World's Largest Wal-Mart Supercenter, Old Paris Flea Market, a parking lot carnival and a Toby Keith's I Love this Deep Fried Buffet and you could have the fair 365 days a year.
I went yesterday evening and had a great time (my first OK State Fair ever--just moved here last year). The place was clean (I know surprising), the people were friendly, the food was good. Better than any fair I went to in Florida while I was living there.
Glad to hear that. My memories of going to the fair back in the 80s/90s was of the icons people talk about. However, as time progressed they began to look worse. I for one am glad the state fair has a vision to improve the fairgrounds with new facilities. Even if its a bunch of barnyard facilities. I hope the entire fairgrounds is redone. Personally, I could care less about a space needle that resembles another city I don't care for. Why not have our own icons for people to talk about? This is why the giant oil derick would be great.
If people could take trips to the top of the derick for observations, it would be a sight to see across all of OKC.
You mean like the giant derrick that is a Six Flags over Texas icon? Not trying to give you a hard time (and I'm not opposed to the idea) but it is hard to come up with new things. Not to far from the "Seattle" space needle is the "St Louis" arch. Bricktown canal = San Antonio Riverwalk etc etc.
A few years ago, Skip Wegner was brought in by the Fair Board to "reinvent" it. In so doing, he destroyed our State Fair by trying to remake it in the image of the State Fair of Texas. Everything enjoyable, pleasant, unique, and distinctive about our fair has been ripped out and torn to shreds so we can have more "premium" parking and higher tickets with fewer eating choices, with traditional vendors forced out. He tore out the cannas that used to line the streets, concreted up the fountains, and shredded the Made in Oklahoma building with this Disney-On-Acid nightmare called "Agtropolis."
I know our fair wasn't perfect; some upgrades and maintenance have desperately been needed, some of which have been implemented. But under that banner, we've thrown the baby out with the bathwater.
I remember to this day someone in city gov't saying the Fair needed to shed its "funnel cakes and corn dog" image, which infuriates me still to this day. For Heaven's sake, they added a stinking Tea Room to the fair a few years ago, which was a flaming disaster (and fortunately, to my knowledge, wasn't repeated). Fairs are about showcasing works of a state and its people. I have no idea what the guys running it now are trying to do.
With the shutdown of the space needle this year, they've finally worn me out. I'm done with the fair. Whomever is running the fair can plow it down and put up whatever elitist crap they have designed for it.
wow, did they really say that? I guess I'm still amazed at how out-of-touch our city leaders are with the population...
Agree with you completely though.. The State Fair has been getting worse over the last decade.. I've never really felt compelled to go... The various outskirt city mini-fairs are usually much more fun in my opinion....
That "reinvention" was nothing more than a corporatization of the fair. Fair sponsors, fair vendors, fair food, fair everything. Gone are the unique "Oklahoma" vendors and places that really made the fair shine.I remember to this day someone in city gov't saying the Fair needed to shed its "funnel cakes and corn dog" image, which infuriates me still to this day.
I used to be involved in a women's service group that operated a food booth at the fair. Our organization had been there since 1954 and our booth was manned wholly by volunteers. No one was paid for working there. People came far and wide just to have our sandwiches, and the proceeds from the sale of those sandwiches supported our club's operating costs for the year. Madalynn Norick was one of the members who started our group's being at the fair in the 1950s.
When Mr. Wegner came on board, he doubled our rent prices, wanted to charge more per cup of soda or beer sold (we had to pay the fair for each cup we sold),
and cut off even our minimal free vendor parking access. When we added up the numbers, not only did we realize we'd make less than usual, but that we'd barely break even, if that.
We were not only non-profit organization to fall into that trap. Even after petitioning to Clay Bennett and the Fair Board, they told us we either had to pay up, or close shop. We had no choice but opt for the latter.
I remember going back the year after our group stopped operating, and how saddened I was to see that most of the booths were national or chain "corporate" interests - Pizza Hut, etc. I haven't been back since and will likely never set foot there again. The grounds may be improved, but the products offered to the public certainly have not.
I do miss the car races. I went to and even worked for the track for a few years. Just my opinion on everything else. I haven't been on the monorail, tower or rodeo since the 60s so I don't miss them. I do feel for those who do. For me the food, buildings and people watching as as good as ever. We went last Saturday and spent 8 hours. We had our usual very good time.
I like some of the changes to the fair. I like the Wade midway company better than Link Shows that used to run the midway. The rides look newer, cleaner, and safer. The fair is much more secure than it used to be because of the increased law enforcement presence and visibility.
I agree with Fritter Girl about the lack of local venders and nonprofit organization booths. That is one of the things I have noticed over the years that has seemed to change. I am sure Fritter Girl was referring to the Junior Hospitality submarine booth that was a mainstay at the fair for years. I used to like the ham sandwiches either the FOP or the Firefighters union (I do not remember who sponsored the booth) sold. The Putnam City Christian Church Cafeteria is gone.
The comments some have made about the Made in Oklahoma building and Agtropolis are interesting. I used to like to go into that building and see the Oklahoma based businesses in one building. Now they are spread out among different buildings. I wish they could have found another space for Agtropolis.
Change is good, but it seems the fair is eliminating a lot of things and not replacing them with something new and better except new horse barns. I have been to the fair twice this year and will probably go again because I love eating the overpriced food, walking around, and seeing old friends and acquaintances I have not seen in a long time. I like the Oklahoma State Fair because it is not the same as the Texas State Fair which is nice, but I do not like the generic look of the outside food booths, the other food booths stuck in one building, and the use of most of the building space for new cars.
Bigray in Ok
Last edited by Bigrayok; 09-21-2010 at 01:53 PM. Reason: grammatical error
Does anyone remember an anti-drug exhibit from around 1970...it was a trailer that had a catwalk along the side to look in through the windows at a man who had abused drugs (so they said anyway--amphetamines, as I recall) and because of it--his body was like silly putty and he was spread out all over the bed he was laying in...it was shocking and very strange. It was more intense than any freak show they ever showed at the Fair...and this was a sort-of "public service" exhibit...
I had this blog post come in an email from Architect Magazine today. It is about the "changes" to Atlantic City and how the "corporatization" has profoundly changed what made the Boardwalk there The Boardwalk.
Architect - Beyond Buildings: The Evil of Banality
Not really an icon, just an icon of their state fair. It's no St. Louis Arch, London Eye, or Seattle Space Needle. Not to mention when the Pepsi Globe in New Jersey at the 2 BILLION dollar Meadowlands Xanadu mega-mall is finished later this year, it will no longer be the tallest in the U.S.
Went to the fair today and was really disappointed. I felt like I was at a giant crappy, crowded, flea market. Nothing good to say about it. Nothing that made the fair good was left. No giveaways. Few exhibits. It seemed like there was only junky stuff for sale. The food wasn't even good. I can go to any free festival (i.e. arts festival, 4th of July, etc) and get the same food or better. No point in going anymore. Cost too much (a coke was $6). A lot of paid parking - free parking got moved further out. Not many animals. I guess there are fewer FFA kids, no more family farms). No monorail. No space needle. I don't think anyone has been putting much $$ into it anymore Too corporate. Not many local businesses or nonprofits.What's the purpose of the fair anymore?
This "fair" is taking in all this money, and there's not much to it. They have closed down all the rides that an elderly could ride. You just watch, that space needle wont ever run again, but they will leave it up cause it will cost them money to tear it down. The monorail looks stupid just sitting there not doing anything.
I came with a good cheerful attidude, trying to find all the good! But I did not find anything to give it, but a D-, if not an F.
This is really embarrassing for Oklahoma City. Its too bad people in the country, look forward to the Fair all year, and then come to the city, just for this boring, crummy fair.
Yep. The Oklahoma State Fair is absolutely terrible. Nearly all the landmarks are gone. And the fun too.
The tragic waste of the Grandstand was the capper for me. I'll not be returning to Fair Park until the current "regime" is gone and they've restored some of the traditions (will never happen).
It's so obvious when 'intrests' or whatever come to OKCTalk... the last three posters have less than 5 posts each.
Participate or leave.
So I got irritated... I just looked through your posts... the majority are cranky, snarky, and sarcastic.
It was a fact... that you just proved.
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