HURON — It seems as if there is something going on pretty much every weekend at the S.D. State Fairgrounds. Wheel Jam, the S.D. Barbeque Championships, the Antique Power Show and those are just a few of the big ones.
Toss in an armful of barrel racing weekends, livestock shows, shopping expos, weekly stock car races - as well as the recent stop by the Outlaw series, the WISSOTA late model series and the WISSOTA 100 - and you begin to get a picture of what may be the busiest 130+ acres of property in the area.
And next year, the Big Red Power Roundup and the National Junior High School Rodeo Finals will be added to the mix.
For State Fair manager Peggy Besch and her office staff, preparing for the 132nd State Fair, which begins later this month, is easily a year-round proposition. And that is just the fair.
Toss in a couple dozen other events and it is clear that the fairgrounds are being heavily used. And, if you take a drive around the fairgrounds, you may notice that things look nicer than you may remember, while you will also see evidence of ongoing projects to keep the property looking good and operating at peak efficiency.
“I don’t think it’s any surprise,” Besch said last week in the new State Fair office in the Earl Nordby Exhibit Hall. “People are recognizing the value of having activities at the fairgrounds. The economic impact of the events that we host here - above and beyond the fair, is substantial. I believe all of this spurs a desire to invest. We host a wide variety of local, regional, state and national events here and those all have an impact.”
Over the past few years, the various sites and buildings on the fairgrounds have received upgrades and work is continuing on others.
“It’s a pretty long list, really,” Besch said, when asked about the scope of the projects.
Over the past two years, a project to install new water lines throughout the 2,000-site campground has continued. Besch said that by the time the NJHRF rolls around in June next year, the project will be completed.
In the campgrounds to the west of the fairgrounds, new electrical pedestals have been installed, which is a portion of the upgrades taking place, based on a study that is also ongoing.
“There was a preliminary study done on our system,” Besch said. “They will come back and study the system again during the fair, to give us a good idea of capacity and problem areas which need to be addressed going forward. A roadmap so to speak.”
Already completed is a partial upgrade in the Beef Complex. Besch said that more needs to be done, to cover more of the requirements of a barn filled with fans and blow dryers.
“We had some funds in the foundation that we were given permission to use for the work that was done,” Besch said. “It will be better than it was - the exhibitors will appreciate what we have done - but we know more needs to be done.”
The asphalt mat for the carnival midway received an overlay this year and, without a doubt, the highest profile project has been the revamp of the seating in the state fair grandstand.
“This year is phase 1 of the revamp of the grandstand,” Besch said. “Structural repairs have taken place and there is new concrete going down in the seating area.”
The project led to the cancellation of one Saturday night’s racing program, but Besch said she is confident that all of the seating for this year’s grandstand shows will be completed on time.
“That is the goal,” she said.
There may be some inconveniences with the grandstand, particularly involving some of the restroom facilities. Additional portable bathrooms will be brought in, however, if the work is not completed in the next three-and-a-half weeks.
“The State Fair Grandstand turns 100 next year,” Besch said. “The entire renovation is targeted to keeping the grandstand facility in useful shape for the forceable future. There have been a lot of band-aids used on the grandstand over the years; it is time for it to have a facelift.”
Over the last year or so, nine of the bathhouses have gotten upgrades as well, from new floor overlays to new partitions and showers, as well as water heaters and signage.
“That is another continuing project that is on schedule to be finished by the fair,” Besch said.
Upgrades have taken place in the Food Court, including new counter tops and doors, and the electrical system has been improved there as well.
A handicap-accessible bathroom, long on the wish list for the fairground staff, has been completed in the Women’s Building, and the Expo Building has a new roof.
“Most people know that there is work going on at the grandstand, but this is only one of the projects that we’ve had done or are completing,” Besch said. “I think that people will notice how good things look and work at this year’s fair.”
