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Study recommends a smaller, agriculture-focused Kalamazoo County Fair with 4-H showcase and Saturday family day
Summary
A consultant hired by Kalamazoo County recommends a 2026 event that centers on a 4-H showcase and a one-day county family festival, citing limited public demand, lack of nonprofit operators and county staffing constraints for a large-scale carnival-style fair.
A consultant’s feasibility study and strategic plan presented to the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 7 recommends reestablishing a focused, agriculture-oriented county fair that centers on the county’s 4-H program rather than reinstating a large carnival and evening-entertainment model.
Dr. Lori Mitchell Dixon, lead consultant for Great Lakes Marketing and Research, told commissioners the data show three roughly equal preferences among 4-H families—showcase-only, carnival-only, or either—but the broader community’s interest in attending a full-scale, carnival-style county fair is modest. “The data strongly suggest that the features of this event include an emphasis on animal exhibits and competitions for the 4-H families, educational offerings and food trucks,” she said.
The study found the 2024 showcase…
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