Michigan fair officials, youth ask subcommittee to restore $500,000 for county fair capital grant

Representatives of the Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitions and two Future Farmers of America students told the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Natural Resources on May 21, 2025, that county fairgrounds provide year‑round community services and emergency staging and asked lawmakers to fund the county fair capital improvement competitive matching grant at $500,000 in the next state budget.

The request matters because the grant, officials said, helps fairs of all sizes make electrical upgrades, improve campgrounds and buildings, and expand accessibility — work that supports community events, emergency response and youth development across Michigan.

Lisa Reif, interim executive director of the Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitions, told the committee the association has existed since 1885 and that fairs host about 4,500,000 attendees annually, “which is about half…