Washington County Fair board previews 2025 fair: new logo, Wingspan showcase and a 10‑day schedule

Gary Bridal, president of the Washington County Fair Board, told the Washington County Board of Commissioners on June 3 that the county’s annual fair continues to grow and that the fair board is preparing a refreshed marketing plan and facility layout for 2025.

The fair board previewed a new logo and a push toward more digital and over‑the‑top television advertising, announced that 4‑H exhibits will move into the Wingspan conference space for the first time, and presented a requested balanced budget of $2,500,000 in revenue and $2,500,000 in expenditures for the coming year.

The presentation matters because the fair is one of the county’s largest public events, supports 4‑H and FFA youth programs and uses county services during the event. Changes to marketing, venue use and budget affect staffing, county departments that provide services during the fair and the experience for tens of thousands of visitors.

Bridal said the fair’s central aim is to “inspire and preserve heritage,” and emphasized accessibility: “The annual fair is accessible to everyone, and it’s a free fair,” he said during the joint annual meeting with the Board of Commissioners. He described partnerships with county public safety, facilities and health staff that support the event.

The board reported attendance and activity figures from last year’s 10‑day fair: a 19% year‑over‑year attendance increase with roughly 87,000 visitors over 10 days; about 220 commercial vendors; roughly 30 food booths; 38 carnival rides; and roughly 23,000 cars parked at fairgrounds events. The fair’s animal and exhibit counts included several hundred animal entries across 4‑H, FFA and open class contests, plus community competitions in culinary arts, creative hobbies and horticulture.

The board said marketing changes for 2025 include retiring the 2013 logo and emphasizing paid social media, search engine marketing and over‑the‑top television for cord‑cutters. Bridal highlighted the new logo’s symbolism and new blue‑and‑pink staff shirts for the fair. The board also said it has leveraged attendance figures to secure more traditional earned media placements aside from paid advertising.

Among program changes, the board said that starting in 2025 4‑H will relocate exhibits from the Cloverleaf building into the Wingspan conference rooms, giving youth more space for “make‑and‑take” community engagement and demonstrations. The Cloverleaf will remain in use as a shaded clubhouse and staging area for youth during hot weather.

The fair board described operational partnerships it relies on each year: the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Hillsboro Police Department provide security and mounted posse support; county Health and Human Services inspects food operations and provides animal biosecurity guidance; facilities staff supply electrical and grounds support; and county finance and risk staff process vendor contracts and handle cash management.

On finances, county staff and the fair board said 2024 was a strong year: the board projected it would make 7% more revenue than budgeted and spend 8% less than budgeted for that fiscal year. The board also noted rising vendor and supply costs, pointing to a 17% tariff‑related upcharge on award ribbons as an example of inflationary pressures affecting next year’s budget.

Bridal and other fair board members encouraged commissioners and the public to use county transit and shuttle services to reduce the parking burden and said the board continues to emphasize safety for visitors and exhibitors. The board also previewed headline entertainment and family programming, including returning exhibits such as Brad’s World of Reptiles, family STEM shows, and a main stage lineup with nightly evening performances.

The county board and fair board closed the presentation by thanking volunteers and sponsors and agreeing to continue regular coordination about operations, marketing and budget details as the fair season approaches.

For more information on vendor registration, community performance slots, and exhibit registration deadlines, the fair board advised people to consult the county fair website and the county’s event pages.