Volunteers work year round to keep the Stoddard County Fair going

DEXTER, Mo. — Each year, the Stoddard County Fair takes over the fairgrounds for five days of fun, food and livestock. It’s the behind the scenes people and the many hours they volunteer year-round that make an event of its size look seamless.

“The fair is all volunteers,” Stoddard County Fair board President Henry Kestner said. “We receive no state, federal or local funding for anything.”

The Stoddard County Fair is able to return to the area Sept. 18-22 for the 91st year thanks to corporate sponsors, booth rentals and gate fees.

This is the only source of income the fair receives, Kestner said, which is put right back into hosting the fair and upgrades each year.

“Last year, we paid out over $9,900 in premiums with no reimbursements,” Kestner said.

The fairgrounds are rented from the city of Dexter airport board through a year contract, which means the board is maintaining the grounds for 365 days with only five days of income.

Kestner said he has been asked many times why the board does not better utilize the fairgrounds throughout the year for income assistance. Truck pulls and rodeos were held in the past, but attendance continued to drop.

“We had something every weekend for a month a couple years ago,” he said. “One of the last events we had was a truck pull and when the sled showed up there were only four people there to participate.”

In addition to utilities and premiums, the fair board also spends “easily over $10,000 on upgrades and maintenance each year,” fair board member Sam Huey Jr. said.

Several years ago, a new bathroom was constructed as well as a bandstand and an enclosed dance floor were completed.

Huey said after the board saved $25,000 for the $75,000 expansion, the remainder of the money was borrowed. The five year loan was paid off in three years, he added.

Since that time, upgrades have been completed to the sewer, water, lighting, livestock arena and show barn.

Ten picnic tables were also added to the fairgrounds last year, Kestner said, for attendees to sit and visit with one another while sampling many of the fair food options.

To support youth in Stoddard County, the fair board has awarded over $56,500 in scholarships to students since the mid 1980s. The only criteria to be eligible for the scholarship program is to have exhibited in three of the five years from eighth grade through senior year of high school.

According to fair board member Pam Dowdy, three scholarships will be awarded this year, each in the amount of $2,000.

The fair will kick off at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18 with a parade in downtown Dexter.

Rickie Lee Tanner, Maggie Thorn, Anna Catherine DeHart and more will keep the crowd entertained this year at the Stoddard County Fair. According to Kestner, entertainment is paid with the help of corporate sponsors and added they are paid whether they play or not with the increasing price of insurance.

“It’s cheaper than buying insurance,” he said.

In the last 10 years, Huey said insurance to hold the fair has went from $4,500 a year to $12,000.

To assist with the increasing prices of most items, the fair board raised the gate entry price to $4 several years ago.

Once inside the fair, only the demo derby Saturday evening will cost an extra $5 to attend.

“Every penny collected is used to put on the fair and make it better,” Dowdy said.

To help families with rising costs as well, the fair will be having “Throwback Thursday” featuring a gate fee of $2. Thursday is also bracelet night, where fairgoers can enjoy unlimited Tinsley Amusement rides for $25.

From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, free admission will be granted and ride bracelets will cost just $20 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

In addition to rides and entertainment, the Stoddard County Fair will also feature the FFA and 4-H rodeos, livestock shows and more throughout the five days.

“We try to schedule events that appeal to all ages,” Kestner said.

The complete fair schedule, rules and deadlines can be found online at www.stoddardcountyfair.com.

Thursday afternoon during fair week, clients from ARC are brought to the fair for free rides and hotdogs.

“They get to come and be in their own element for an hour,” Huey said.

Ride bracelets are also furnished to children at the Stoddard County Children’s Home in Bloomfield to give them the opportunity to enjoy the fair.

“It’s things like that that people don’t realize we do,” Dowdy said.

“And it adds up,” Kestner added.

To assist the Stoddard County Gospel Mission, boxes of macaroni and cheese will be collected Wednesday evening at the fairgrounds. The group will be on-site to collect the donations which will be distributed to people in need within Stoddard County.

For each box donated, a ride ticket will be given, with a maximum of six tickets.

With all that goes on at the fair each year and the months leading up, the Stoddard County Fair Board is in search of new members to add to their 28-person group.

“Everything between the sun and the dirt is our responsibility,” Dowdy said of the fairgrounds.

For $10 a year, a person can join the fair board and be a part of the biggest event in Stoddard County. Anywhere between 8,000 and 12,000 people gather at the Stoddard County Fair during the five days.

“No fair board members are paid for their work,” Huey said. “We get paid out of the gratitude.”

Fair board members meet once a month and plan year-round for the fair.

“It’s a constant thought of something different we could bring back, something we think would please the crowd better,” Huey said.

While fair board members put in hours not only throughout the year, but from sun up to nearly sun up the following day during fair week, Dowdy continues to return each year as she has done for 43 years.

She explained Stoddard County is an agricultural county and hopes the fair gives both children and adults the opportunity to see items they normally wouldn’t see and provides education.

“Every year during fair week I say this is going to be my last year and then I turn around two weeks later and ask what are we doing for next year’s fair,” she said. “You get tired, but the hours put in are for the kids and their enjoyment.”