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Georgia State Fair
moves 2002 event ahead of Ga. National Fair
Scheduling
conflict with carnival company leads to change in dates
By
Christopher Schwarzen
Telegraph
Staff Writer
The Georgia State Fair will be held three weeks earlier next year, placing it in front of the Georgia National Fair held in Perry.
The state fair's board met Thursday to change its dates to Sept. 23-29, following a date conflict with Amusements of America, the fair's carnival operators.
The carnival's director told state fair officials it won a bid to operate during the North Carolina State Fair during the same week as the Georgia State Fair, said Harold Carlisle, director of the Georgia State Fair. The North Carolina fair draws tens of thousands of people and is a multi-million dollar event.
"They had agreed to meet their obligation and furnish us with a carnival, but because of declining attendance over the years, they could only bring what was agreed to in the contract," Carlisle said. "In the past, they have always brought their full carnival even though it's not in the contract."
An agreement for the full carnival was worked out, but only if the fair changed its dates to the end of September, Carlisle said. The date change had nothing to do with the Georgia National Fair in Perry, which will be Oct. 4-13.
"I'm on the authority board there, too, so there was no intention of hurting them," he said.
Still, moving the date in front of the national fair could boost attendance and increase entries into cattle and swine contests, Carlisle said. The fact the state fair will be the same weekend as the Macon Music and Heritage Festival also could help.
This year's fair drew close to 68,000 visitors, but numbers had been as high as 200,000 before the national fair in Perry started. With Macon's fair in September and the Perry fair in October, it could make it easier for people to budget attending both fairs, Carlisle said.
Also, the state fair has a terminal swine program, meaning the pigs are judged and then auctioned for slaughter. Owners would now be able to enter the pigs in the state and national fairs. {Correction: The Georgia
National Fair has a terminal swine program----NOT the Georgia State
Fair. ---H.W.Carlisle}
Carlisle says he's also willing to work with the music festival if officials there are interested. "Whatever will help, we're willing to listen," he said.
Georgia National Fair officials said the Macon move shouldn't hurt their attendance. Numbers are usually close to 360,000 visitors annually.
"Each fair has its own goals and priorities," said Michele Treptow, public relations director for the Georgia National Fair. "Other fairs are going on before, during and after both of these fairs as well. We wish them well."
The state fair could remain during September if it works well, Carlisle said. Right now, they have two years left on their contract with Amusements of America.
- To contact Christopher Schwarzen, call 744-4213 or e-mail cschwarzen@macontel.com.
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