Fair book cover contest winners announced by fair board

This year’s fair book cover will fearture art created by Rocco Rael from Lovell High School. Rael’s art featured various livestock with sunglasses plus palm trees and a beach umbrella. 

The runners up were Celeste Lindsay and Hannity Felkins.  Lindsay’s cover had a cowboy in a hammock looking at a barn, ferris wheel and a tent. Felkins’ submission shows a pig in a grass skirt riding a horse with a flower lei around its neck. 

Fair board members Tracy Haley, Kelli Mercer, Beckie Bates, Tim Allen, Tucker McKim, Austin Layne and Luke Foss voted on the cover at their May 6 meeting. 

Fair manager Cash Duncan said all but one of the submitted artwork came from Lovell High School. The entries were judged on how well they are depicting this year’s fair theme: “Ticket to Fair-a-dise.”

QUEEN CONTEST 

At this meeting, Duncan said he had not heard back from the volunteers that said they would help. Board member Kelli Mercer said that the board needs to set a date immediately as the royalty typically appears at a variety of rodeos/parades before fair.

Haley stated she had reviewed an application that was given to her by one of the volunteers. It stated that applications are due May 29, and the competition is May 31. 

Contact the fair office for an application. 

OTHER BUSINESS 

• Changes to the fair bylaws passed on third reading. This officially changes the board meetings to the first Monday of the month at 6 p.m. The second change is the board treasurer will run the meeting in the absence of the chair. 

•. Bates brought to the board some people’s concerns about the scale not being calibrated before fair. She was told last year the scale was 20 pounds light. Both Gasvoda and Layne said that the scale at the fairgrounds is certified by the state yearly. Mercer said to have the junior livestock auction, the scales must be certified. There is documentation. 

• The 2024-25 budget request for the fair has been submitted to the county. 

• Haley gave an update on the pig barn fundraiser, Squeal Your Thirst. She feels it was successful. The money will go into an account with the county that is designated for a new pig barn. 

• Mercer and Gasvoda gave an update on judges for the fair.

• A long discussion ensued about the production and printing of the fair book. Two bids were received. The board expressed concerns about the cost per fair book. They also noted that the bids were not apples to apples for comparison. Duncan will reconnect with the bidders. 

• The board voted formally to sell tickets for the fair in person only. No online sales. 

• The fair board discussed fair funding and understanding the budget process. Several hope to attend the budget session with the commissioners for the 2024-25 budget. 

• A fairgrounds clean-up day is set for July 1.