Utah County Fair reports higher attendance, $255,000 carryover; requests $175,000 in county funding

Greg Conover, presenting on behalf of the Utah County Fair, told the Utah County Commission that the fair saw increased participation last year and asked the commission for continued funding support.

Conover said attendance was up about 15% from the previous year, open-class entries grew roughly 25%, and volunteer turnout topped 268 people. He said sponsorships and a new makers market produced about $15,000 in sponsorship revenue. Conover reported projected revenues of $360,000 versus actual revenues of $363,000; projected expenses were about $560,000 and actual expenses were about $545,000, leaving a carryover of $255,000 into the current year. He said the fair is requesting $175,000 in county funding for the coming year (identified in the presentation as TTAP funds).

Why it matters: The fair operates with a mix of ticket sales, sponsorships and county support; the commission’s funding decisions affect whether the fair can sustain programming, maintain facilities, and reduce rental of costly equipment such as generators.

Conover summarized several program and operational changes that organizers said contributed to higher participation: adding an extra horse show, expanding the kids area and integrating it with vendor space so families could enjoy activities while shopping, increasing vendor participation, and launching a makers market that focuses on crafts rather than only trade vendors. He described a Wednesday concert as a community-pleasing kickoff that was not a big revenue generator but added value to the program. Conover also described key recurring attractions planned for the coming year: monster trucks on Friday, a demolition derby on Saturday, and a Thursday rodeo. He said the fairboard is considering adding cowboy poetry on Wednesday night, modeled on successful events in neighboring towns.

Conover told commissioners the fair has formed a 501(c)(3), the Utah County Fair Corporation, under the Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau to allow sponsors to write off contributions and to retain carryover funds for future fairs. He said that arrangement let the fair seed operations, pay bills while ticket revenues are delayed, and reduce the number of vendor contracts routed through the county.

Conover also requested more help from county Public Works for routine electrical and small infrastructure work at the fairgrounds to reduce rental expenses for generators and other equipment. He praised the volunteer coordinator’s work increasing volunteer numbers and asked the commission to consider ongoing support for the Miss Utah County pageant (the fair currently gives the pageant $6,000 annually; past contributions listed in the presentation included $15,000 from Springville when the pageant was hosted there).

Commissioners responded with general support, thanked organizers, and asked to receive follow-up materials; no formal action on the funding request was taken during the presentation.

Conover closed by inviting participation and noting the county staff and volunteers who helped stage the fair.