Hundreds of People, Thousands of Hours Behind the Skagit County Fair

Mount Vernon, Washington –  It might seem like the Skagit County Fair ‘just happens,’ but the team behind its success numbers in the hundreds, and there is an amazing amount of work going on for many months before the four-day event.

The list of critical players is impressive. It includes full-time and seasonal County staff, business sponsors, a dedicated team of volunteers, vendors, entertainers, 4-H and FFA members and Open Class competitors of all ages. Skagit County Commissioners show their support in many ways, including judging several competitions each year at the Fair.

Coordinator Aric Gaither, a graduate of Anacortes High School and the Recreation Program at Western Washington University, takes the lead on the Fair. His pre-season work includes such things as booking entertainment and coordinating marketing/advertising campaigns.

Aric, who had previously worked seasonally with the Parks and Recreation department since 2006 and interned in 2007, was working on the ski slopes in Colorado in 2011 when Skagit County Parks and Recreation & Fair Director Brian Adams called to ask if he would be willing to serve as Fair Coordinator.

He agreed and went back to work seasonally with the County, taking on Fair leadership responsibilities for two seasons before assuming year-round responsibilities in 2013.

“Preparations go on year-round, with peak staff and volunteer levels from June to September,” said Gaither. “Off season office responsibilities include such things as booking rental events and entertainers, and negotiating capital projects such as a new roof.”

Other County employees who provide leadership and expertise include Adams, who offers leadership and big picture planning, keeping an eye on the hottest local bands, and coming up with the Fair theme every year.

Mike McCutchin, West County Parks Lead, offers his technical expertise as the maintenance supervisor for the Fairgrounds, while managing all of the other parks in western Skagit County.

Pauli Mickelson, Administrative Manager, keeps a watchful eye on the budget and manages ticket sales and gate admissions, along with hundreds of other tasks within the department.

Also involved are full-time Parks employees Erik Rantschler, Scott Perry, Chad Butterfield and Dave Barber. Seasonal office staff includes Patrick Ulinski, Macklin Hamilton and Wanda Jacobs. Hamilton will manage the Community Stage and Sherman Anderson Field area, which is made a part of the Fair in partnership with the City of Mount Vernon. Ulinski leads the volunteer coordination while Jacobs specializes in providing administrative support for the Fair.

Recreation Manager Tony Tewalt holds down the fort at the Administration office (1730 Continental in Mount Vernon) when staff members are at the fairgrounds during events. Other second year seasonal maintenance employees are Carlos Perez and Jesus Serrano.

Gaither also taps into professional expertise “in-house,” such as Brian Young of the County IS Department, who designs the fair poster, maintains the website and creates other promotional material. Josh Greenberg, County GIS, created a colorful new site map this year.

“We also rely heavily on part-time employees, usually four-month employees,” notes Gaither. ”Some are in college, some have interned with us in the past. They have great responsibilities, including such things as site maintenance, coordinating volunteers and running the Community Stage/ballfield area. They often have a lot of logistics to juggle. We ask them to learn and accomplish a great deal in a very short period of time.”

“We have had some great interns from the WWU Rec Program pipeline,” said Gaither. “It’s always a challenge to find seasonal employees with a passion for this kind of work, who can endure a grueling Fair season. We benefit from a natural ‘buy-in factor’ with young students who have chosen to make this their profession. ”

The Fair is a County-wide partnership, with financial and support resources from all communities. School district (FFA) organizations involved in the Fair come from Mount Vernon, Burlington and Sedro-Woolley districts. Anacortes often is rich in musicians and artists. Smaller communities such as La Conner and Concrete bring out their Cheer teams for “Cheer at the Fair”. 4-H participants and leaders come from all corners of the County and are critical to the success of youth programs at the Fair.

4-H, FFA and Open Class leaders serve as superintendents of different departments at the Fair, putting in a great deal of time running up to and through the course of the Fair. Departments range from 4-H horses to open class sewing, photography and canning.

“Margaret Olsen, an Ag Teacher/FFA leader, serves as superintendent coordinator and livestock expert,” said Gaither. “She took part in her first Skagit County Fair in 1980, and has been with us in leadership for the past seven years, expertly handling a lot of detailed niches. She coordinates 30-40 Fair superintendents and administers all fair entries.”

Another example of behind the scenes work is that of a 10-member team of volunteer veterinarians who examine every Fair animal the day before opening. Long-time volunteer Bonita Elfstrom takes the lead in this area. This is Elfstrom’s 46th year at the Fair.

“The Fair staff has sufficient knowledge about a wide range of subjects, but it’s critical to have the experts on speed dial, and know how to get them to the right spot, sometimes in a hurry,” said Gaither. “We rely heavily on the expertise of others in areas ranging from animal judging to running the sound on the main stage. We juggle these worlds and more, making many decisions on the fly, putting our best foot forward to make the Fair an enjoyable experience for all.”

The arts are a key element of the Fair, from classic rock and country music to dance groups (Tribal and Scottish dancing this year). Original music is embraced and cover songs are encouraged to engage audience participation.

“We have developed a community stage to give our local young talent a chance to perform at the Fair in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere,” said Gaither. “Past performances have ranged from a Michael Jackson dance tribute to a solo instrumental musical set. Local talent is something we embrace on the Community Stage and as a whole at the Fair. It gives them room to perform for a public audience, to grow in experience. Some of these developing performers ultimately end up on our Main Stage.”

“It fits our overall philosophy of community development and bringing people together,” said Gaither. “Instead of saying no to young performers, we have a great place for them to play in front of the hometown crowd.”

Many are not aware that the Fair is self-sustaining.

“The Fair is not subsidized by the county general fund,” said Gaither. “We have to bring in more than we spend every year,” with a goal of producing revenue for capital projects focused on structural improvements/beautification around the grounds.

In addition to ticket sales, key financial contributors are the Fair’s 40-plus sponsors. Some are financial sponsors, others in-kind.

“For example, Dahl Electric has been very generous, contributing equipment, expertise and elbow grease,” said Gaither. “Local newspapers, media outlets and local radio stations do a wonderful job of helping us not only to promote the Fair, but to report on the action as the Fair unfolds. Rallye Auto Sales donated 100 tickets to Community Action for families in need, and there are many more stand out examples from our business community.”

Other outreach efforts include Family Connections Day and Safety and Preparedness Day, field events that draw organizations ranging from Boys and Girls Clubs and Goodwill to municipal emergency response departments and regional energy companies.

“We do the best we can, reaching out to as many demographics as possible, creating a great hometown Fair for Skagit County,” said Gaither. “We excel in our niche, emphasizing local talent and businesses and a family friendly setting. It’s a festive, fun event. Ultimately all of the long hours that go into making it happen are worthwhile as we enjoy the reward of seeing people happy. That’s what keeps you going.”

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Information Written and Provided by Skagit County Fair Staff and Volunteers, compiled by SkagitBreaking.com staff