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Thread: The Erie County Fair

  1. #1
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    The Erie County Fair

    Why did they basically rename it to the America's fair?

    http://www.americas-fair.com/

    In my opinion that was a very bad marketing move. You detacted the fair from the people in Erie County.

  2. #2
    Unregistered bigpoppapuff's Avatar
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    You Are Here: Home » About The Fair
    The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private not-for-profit membership corporation, which annually produces the America’s Fair, the Erie County Fair. The Society is the oldest civic organization in western New York, established in 1819. The Society does not receive funding from New York State or from the County of Erie.


    Mission Statement
    The basic purpose of the Erie County Agricultural Society, sponsors of
    The Erie County Fair, is to preserve and enhance the agricultural and
    historical legacy of New York State.
    The Fair strives to fulfill appropriate aspects of the agricultural,
    educational, entertainment and recreational needs of Western New
    York, and where appropriate, those of the United States.


    A 15 member Board of Directors governs the operation of the Society. America’s Fair employs a small, but dedicated staff which produced the annual event in August.

    THE FAIRGROUNDS
    Facilities

    265 Acres
    86 permanent buildings and structures
    5 green parks (Baker, Slade, Fries, Hickory Tree, North Pole)
    15,000 parking spaces


    America's Fair, The Erie County Fair
    Admissions
    The attendance for the Fair has a 6 year average of over 950,000.
    Regular Admission
    Adult $ 9.00 Senior Citizen (60 Plus) $ 7.00
    Children (6-12) $ 5.00 Children Ages 5 and under FREE

    Midway

    James E. Strates Shows provides the midway with approximately 70 rides and 100 games, Strates Shows has played the Fair since 1924

    A Little History
    In the Beginning…
    The Agricultural Society was established in 1819, then called the Niagara County Horticultural Society. It held its first fair in 1820 on what is now the site of the Donovan Office Building in Buffalo. One year later, Niagara County split into Erie and Niagara Counties, and so did the agricultural society. The Erie County Agricultural Society is the oldest civic, community member organization in Erie County.
    The Society’s first president, Dr. Cyrenius Chapin, was also the first physician to ever come to Western New York.

    After the 1821 Fair, the Society foundered due to the poor economy in the area and the difficulty of transporting livestock over nearly impassable roads. The Society was reborn in 1841 and again started holding its annual Fair. The Erie County Fair has been held every year since 1841 with the exception of 1943, which was canceled because of World War II.

    After many years of being held in Buffalo, the Fair was moved throughout different locations in Aurora, Lancaster, East Hamburgh, (now Orchard Park) West Seneca, and Springville from 1851-1867. In 1868, the Society moved the Fair to its Hamburg location and has remained there ever-since.

    Originally, the Hamburg location for the Fair was 12 acres. Over the years, the Hamburg Fairgrounds have grown to cover 275 acres. Likewise, the Fair began as a one-day event held in the fall. It too has grown to become an 11-day event held each August.

    Other Interesting Fair History Facts

    The oldest building on the grounds is the Octagon Building, which was built in 1885 for $2,037.50.
    The James E. Strates Shows Midway first appeared at the Fair in 1924 and still arrives at the Fair each year via railroad.
    The Fair owns the only original San Francisco Cable Car operating outside those city limits.
    The metal 40-foot span main gate on McKinley Parkway was built in 1930 to allow four automobiles to enter the fairgrounds abreast.
    Lynda Bird Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson, formally dedicated the Historical Building on August 23, 1965. The Agricultural and Grange Building was opened five days later.
    The Erie County Fair became the country’s largest county fair for the first time in 1970, with an attendance of 600,960. It is currently the nation’s third largest county fair.
    The International Agri-Center was completed in 1990. The Center is 74,000 square-feet and cost $4.5 million.
    The Erie County Fair set its attendance record in 1998 with a paid attendance of 1,020,662.
    These and many other interesting facts about the Erie County Fair can be found in the limited collector’s edition, Reflections of America’s County Fair, a 200+ page chronicle of over 60 years of the Erie County Agricultural Fair.
    The Erie County Fair is not affiliated with any government agency and does not receive any government funding. As a non-for-profit agency we are eligible to apply for grants.

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    I clicked on the link and it clearly says:
    "Erie County Fair - America's Fair"
    "The Erie County Fair, August 6-17, 2008"

    The actual name is: "America's Fair, The Erie County Fair"

    So, I am not sure why the beef? They are just trying to bring more people in with the addition of America's Fair. I think the name is fine.

    In addition:

    "The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private not-for-profit membership corporation, which annually produces the America’s Fair, the Erie County Fair. The Society is the oldest civic organization in western New York, established in 1819. The Society does not receive funding from New York State or from the County of Erie. "

    Seems like a private venture that puts it on and they receive NO funding from taxpayers, so they can name it the Worlds Greatest Fair if they so choose.

  4. #4
    Member Ms.Depew.to.you's Avatar
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    I think they renamed it when the EC budget crisis came to light a few years ago.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ms.Depew.to.you
    I think they renamed it when the EC budget crisis came to light a few years ago.
    I remember a story on channel 4 at that time. The upshot was they wanted to remove any perception that they were in any way associated with or part of Erie County government.

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    Member PlayingKoi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ms.Depew.to.you
    I think they renamed it when the EC budget crisis came to light a few years ago.
    They renamed it many years before the budget crisis. The biggest reason is that the county DOES NOT run, nor fund it. The private organization cannot call it just "the Erie County fair" as it then puts responsibilty for anything that may happen on the county.
    As a non profit group, they are eligible for grants. They receive no funding from the county of Erie, nor NYS.
    The "Orleans County Fair" works the same way. It is really the 4H of Orleans Fair.
    I suppose it she be called America's Fair in Erie County NY.
    They can call it anything they want. People will still call it the Erie County Fair. I can think of lots of things in WNY that have been renamed and the old one still sticks.

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by cookie
    I remember a story on channel 4 at that time. The upshot was they wanted to remove any perception that they were in any way associated with or part of Erie County government.
    Did that ever really cross anyone's mind? Didn't cross mine once. We work with a few people who setup at the fair and I can't remember that topic coming up.

  8. #8
    Member PlayingKoi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident
    Did that ever really cross anyone's mind? Didn't cross mine once. We work with a few people who setup at the fair and I can't remember that topic coming up.
    I also work with someone who is on the fair board. It did come up at one point because some misinformed people were saying to cut fair funding as a way out of the budget crisis. That's when the fair commitee had to speak up and tell people that they did not receive any monies.

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    Quote Originally Posted by dragonflyluna
    ...
    I suppose it she be called America's Fair in Erie County NY.
    ...
    Or, why not "The Erie County Fair"?
    First Amendment rights are like muscles, if you don't exercise them they will atrophy.

  10. #10
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by dragonflyluna
    I also work with someone who is on the fair board. It did come up at one point because some misinformed people were saying to cut fair funding as a way out of the budget crisis. That's when the fair commitee had to speak up and tell people that they did not receive any monies.
    That must have been a comment only made to someone on the board. I can't remember that ever being mention here on speakup when the red/green budget issue happened.

    Honestly if some of the Erie County bed tax was used to promote the fair to the surrounding states and other counties that wouldn't bother me. You want to pull money into our county. 10,000's of people must go to the fair. If we can get 20,000 more to come to the fair that is 20,000 "out of county/state fair goers" leaving their money here.

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    I read where one of the board members also explained the name change had to do with attracting bigger, nationally known acts to perform. Some of them werent interested in performing at a County Fair, so they decided to label it Americas Fair instead.

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    The way I see it is you can call it whatever you want and they (the fair board) can call it what they want. If they think it will attract more people, great. I certainly dont see how the name change years ago has affected the attendance or the product at all.

    Just like the Bills Stadium going from Rich Stadium to Ralph Wilson, who cares what its called? Same with Pilot Field/NorthAmeriCare Park/Dunn Tire Park. Its all the same.

  13. #13
    Member Linda_D's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MarkLV
    I read where one of the board members also explained the name change had to do with attracting bigger, nationally known acts to perform. Some of them werent interested in performing at a County Fair, so they decided to label it Americas Fair instead.
    This is probably a more likely explanation. For a while the ECF was known as the "Erie County Fair and Exposition", but then they went with "America's Fair". Most county fairs are pretty rinky dinky hometown affairs but the ECF is bigger than many, if not most, most state fairs.
    Your right to buy a military weapon without hindrance, delay or training cannot trump Daniel Barden’s right to see his eighth birthday. -- Jim Himes

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    I prefer the name "Erie County Fair" mostly because that is the most accurate descriptor of the event. "America's Fair"...who says? It is meaningless because it has no legitimacy. Couldn't any exposition annoint itself "America's Fair"? It is our county fair and we should be proud of it. Just like the people of Wyoming, Genesee, Cattaraugus, etc. Counties are proud of their fairs. The obvious truth is that it is "The Erie County Fair" and that is the name the people embrace and identify with. They will change the name back because no one likes the name "America's Fair". The people are too smart for this nonsense.

  15. #15
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by equinox
    I prefer the name "Erie County Fair" mostly because that is the most accurate descriptor of the event. "America's Fair"...who says? It is meaningless because it has no legitimacy. Couldn't any exposition annoint itself "America's Fair"? It is our county fair and we should be proud of it. Just like the people of Wyoming, Genesee, Cattaraugus, etc. Counties are proud of their fairs. The obvious truth is that it is "The Erie County Fair" and that is the name the people embrace and identify with. They will change the name back because no one likes the name "America's Fair". The people are too smart for this nonsense.
    That's how I look at it.

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