By Kevin Hanson, The Courier-Herald
Plenty of changes are in store for the 2004 edition of the King County Fair, and all indications are the event is hoping to return to its family-friendly roots.
This year's fair will likely put less of a dent in visitors' pocketbooks, as admission prices have been slashed and concert tickets are spiraling downward. Also, there will be more roving acts providing free entertainment.
The fair had come under fire, especially last year, as visitors complained about high costs and reduced attractions. Fair management had experimented with different tactics, as county government demanded the fair become a self-sufficient venture.
Last year, fair officials solicited comments from both visitors and vendors, and made surveys available to fairgoers. What they found was, "A lot of our efforts were construed as going 'big time,'" said Dave Marks, who is looking forward to his second year as fairgrounds manager.
Now, he said, "the whole idea is to make it more affordable…to give more value for the dollar."
Marks highlighted the following changes for the July 21-25 fair.
€ Admission prices have been reduced to $6 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and $3 for children. Last year, each of those tickets went for $2 more.
€ Headline entertainers have been scaled back a bit, and costs will be noticeably cheaper. Last year, tickets for JoDee Messina went for nearly $40 and admission to the Terri Clark show was almost $30. This year's main stage entertainers will carry ticket prices between $10 and $15, Marks said. The only performer already under contract is rising country star Chris Cagle, and the fair will sell tickets to his show for $1.
€ The Royal Hanneford Circus will put on shows during the entire run of the fair. There will be no extra cost for the new attraction.
€ A food court is being added near a third stage. This will allow visitors to dine on fair fare while watching free entertainment.
€ Opening day has been designated "Dollar Day," where everyone will be admitted for $1 and charged just $1 to park. Also, some food vendors will will be hawking $1 offerings.
"The fair will never get back to where it was 15 or 20 years ago," Marks said. "It has to be a profitable fair." But organizers are aware the public felt things were moving in the wrong direction, and changes are being made to cater to the public's desires, he said.
Kevin Hanson can be reached at khanson@courierherald.com
