WELLINGTON, Ohio — As fairgoers eat their fill of fried food, buckle up for thrills on the midway and celebrate the hard work of 4-H members showcasing their prized animals, Lorain County Fair organizers are already looking ahead to the future.
The state’s second-largest county fair kicked off Sunday with free admittance and harness racing. It will continue through next Sunday with all of the live entertainment, food and rides many come to expect from a late summer fair.
But depending on who you ask, the Junior Fair competition and its 11 barns housing 4-H animals and projects are the main attraction.
“I just like showmanship. It’s my favorite thing to do,” said 10-year-old Adah Resar.
The Wellington 4-H member won first and third place in her debut year, showing her lamb, Sweetpea. Adah and her younger brothers follow in their mother’s footsteps, participating in the youth agriculture and development program.
“[There were] lots of good memories, lots of family time, lots of hard work, learned a lot of life skills,” Taneesha Resar recalled about her time in 4-H.
The skills have proven invaluable for Austin Carpenter, who earned the grand champion award with his pony, Outlaw.
“I worked, and then I won,” Austin said.
His mother explained that Austin, who is on the autism spectrum, has gained confidence and communication skills during his time in the program.
“We have excellent horses that train very well and kind of let him do his thing. He normally comes out top,” said Jill Carpenter.
Fair leaders say the 4-H program is at the core of the county fair’s identity.
“The kids are why we’re here. Our 4H - that’s our goal, that’s our passion,” said Lorain County Fair Director Patrick Twining.
Twining said new investments at the fairgrounds improve the amenities for 4-H members and help set the fair up for future success.
“It is very crucial to, I’ll say, our survival. County fairs cannot survive on one week of fair alone,” he said.
The fair has already broken ground on the new Ross Exposition Center. The 67,000-square-foot, climate-controlled facility will allow the fair to host events and clients year-round.
“The public sees us this week. But the other 51 weeks of the year, this is still here,” Twining said.
The $14 million project will include the exposition center, a new riding arena and a new beef barn.
The money was kickstarted with the Ross Foundation's $4 million donation. It will be funded by a combination of other donations, $1.5 million from the Lorain County Commission and a $150,000 annual sponsorship from the Lorain County Visitors Bureau. The funds will be available in 5-10 years.
To cover initial costs, the Lorain County Port Authority recently approved the sale of bonds for a $10 million loan for the project. The Fair Board will be responsible for repaying the loan within 20 years.
Fairgoers said they’re looking forward to the new investment.
“With the upgrades and all that, I think the senior fair board is doing an awesome job trying to promote the fair,” said Jill Carpenter.
Fair organizers said the upgrades will help position the fair for the future, but they plan to preserve the fair’s tradition.
“As far as the fair goes, it’s going to be a normal fair. We’re just going to have better amenities for our 4H kids,” said Twining.
The Ross Exposition Center and the riding arena will debut at the 2025 Lorain County Fair. The new beef barn could be finished by 2026.
CLICK HERE for more details about the Lorain County Fair, including ticket and schedule information.
