Future of the Fresno Fair | ABC30 Fresno | abc30.com

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By ABC30

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Fresno, CA Success at the Big Fresno Fair can be defined by the number of people who attend and the exhibits viewed. Deputy Manager Laurie King says her biggest success this year was keeping the recession outside the gates.

"All of the discounts and everything that we've offered to folks to make it as affordable to come to the fair as possible," said King.

There are still two days remaining and folks from around the Central Valley are making the most of it. Sarah O'Brien of Clovis said, "I think it brings everybody out. I think it brings out a since of community."

Paul Micu of Fresno said, "We have come to the fair every year and have enjoyed it."

"We used to live in LA. And we went to the la county fair and it's humongous. It's good but this is a nice fair," said Lyndell Rowland of Sanger.

Fair officials hope this new bridge design will make it even nicer by 2010.

King said, "If we can pull together the funding and we get sponsorship dollars we do plan to build a bridge from the Water Tree across to the Horse Palace."

New infrastructure projects are under way that most people will not notice like electrical work and some minor patching of concrete.

Despite the penny pinching economic times the Big Fresno Fair has managed to operate within its $10 million budget.

King said, "We're actually already in our budget process for next year and it looks like we're going to have the same budget we've had the last 2 years."

Which means King and her team will be able to expand local giving programs such as the canned food drive and educational programs so students like Courtney Casner and her friend Breyanna Brown spend time outside the classroom ... learning at the fair.

Casner said, "We came here for a project for school and my teacher said we're not allowed to eat stuff from here."