Pike gives funding to E.Ky. fair

Special to the

News-Express

As with any festival, it often takes time to establish a tradition.

But Sandy Runyon, Director of the Big Sandy Area Development District in Prestonsburg, says the generosity and help in planning from local counties and cities could prove to be a make or break issue for the continued existence of the East Kentucky Fair.

"The Big Sandy ADD is committed this year as a coordinator for the fair," Runyon told Pike County Fiscal Court members Tuesday. "The support we receive this year will determine if the fair can ever become self-sufficient and move on."

Runyon then asked the court if, as in years past, there was still support that could be expected from Pike's governing body.

In answer to Runyon, Pike court members wasted no time Tuesday in approving $5,000 toward the funding of the fair, which will be the fourth annual this year and is scheduled to be held from July 31 through Aug. 2.

Attendance and interest, along with budgetary concerns, have seen the past three fairs struggle.

"I attended the fair last year and the temperature was more than 100 degrees," Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford said Tuesday. "There have been a lot of hurdles, but we're here to help. We could not do what we do without Sandy (Runyon) and her agency, and we appreciate the relationship that has been established with this court."

The East Kentucky Fair was the brainchild of former Floyd County Judge-Executive Paul Hunt Thompson, who enlisted the enthusiastic help of neighboring counties Pike, Johnson, Magoffin and Martin. The idea was to bring the feel and experience of Louisville's Kentucky State Fair to the children of eastern Kentucky.

Runyon told Pike officials Tuesday that the cities and counties that have been active in seeing the fair survive this long have been Pike County, Pikeville, Floyd County, Prestonsburg, Johnson County and Paintsville.

"We had hoped it would spread across our five-county coverage area," Runyon told the court. "But we still have a ways to go for that. Despite this, we're still gaining ground. We managed to break even last year."

Each year the fair has been held at ThunderRidge Racing and Entertainment Complex in Floyd County, offering live entertainment, horse shows and carnival rides, among other attractions. Most recently the county 4-H programs became involved, holding exhibitions at the event.

Runyon says more of this involvement would help the fair gain footing and run independently.

"We've thought of many ways to establish the fair for good, such as offering free admission and so forth, but there is still the issue of providing the different things to do while at the fair such as rides," continued Runyon.

There is to be a meeting with the fair board of directors planned for today, March 19, according to Runyon.

"The level of support that comes from tomorrow's meeting will determine if we can even have the fair," she said yesterday.