Kittitas County approves increases to fair RV, dry-camping and late-entry fees

Kittitas County commissioners approved amendments to Kittitas County Fair rates during a public hearing continued from Feb. 18, 2025, raising full-hookup RV parking to $400 for the fair period, dry camping at the CWU lot to $75 per trip and the late-entry fee to $25.

The changes were presented by Katie Portfield, event center director for Kittitas County, who said the proposal seeks to address rising operational costs and to encourage pre-fair purchases. "So we really want people to be able to buy online, buy ahead, and, save on time, out the gate, and not bog down lines," Portfield said, adding the fair is also experimenting with free admission on Monday to increase on-site spending by vendors and carnival operators. "Historically, we've only sold about 1,500 tickets on Monday... we're only profiting, like, $4 that day," she said.

Portfield said RV hookup rates had not been raised in 12 years while utilities and other costs have doubled. The approved motion raises the full-fair, full-hookup RV price from $300 (the previous proposed increase) to $400 for the entire fair stay (about six to seven days). The board also approved raising dry camping in a CWU lot (no hookups) from $40 to $75 and increasing the late-entry fee from $10 to $25.

Fair staff described operational impacts tied to late entries: Portfield said two staff members typically spend about 15 minutes helping each late entrant, then must enter the information into the ShowWorks system and prepare judging materials. Portfield said the fair recorded 69 late entries last year out of roughly 1,000 exhibitors, or about 7 percent, producing a measurable workload for staff.

Amy Syske, admissions director for the Kittitas County Fair Board, said the board surveyed other fairs for comparison. "Late fee is $25 per child in Grant County. And the late fees entry, they the entry doubles on livestock after the deadline and a hundred dollar late fee on commercial and food vendors for Spokane County," Syske said, noting practices vary widely among counties.

Commissioner discussion ranged from concern about placing costs on general taxpayers to support fair operations to arguments that prime RV spaces and vendor access justify higher, market-aligned rates. A motion to approve Resolution 2025-72 with the amended fee levels carried unanimously; commissioners voted to adopt the new rates.

The record did not specify an effective date for the fee changes. The hearing record also noted other proposed changes in the fee schedule — including a season exhibitor parking pass option, adding entry fees for newly restored 4-H dog and cat categories, and incentives for online pre-sale ticketing — which the board discussed as part of the overall package.