2005 event focuses on family playtime

Pat Lloyd, executive director of the Ozark Empire Fair, said that a new exhibit area, KidZone, will be a focal point for entertainment, and it will be built around the playful theme.

KidZone will be located south of the arena in a 40-by-60-foot structural tent.

“Within that area, we’re going to have a small stage with talent oriented up to the pre-teen age group,” Lloyd said.

There also will be games, contests, arts and crafts, educational activities and exhibits. Street performers in KidZone will include stilt walker Carrie McQueen, comic cowboy Leapin’ Louie and Doggies of the Wild.

Lloyd said the 2005 fair will include old favorites such as the Birthing Center, where fairgoers can see newborn calves, the Coca-Cola petting zoo and the Missouri Department of Conservation’s exhibit, which features a giant aquarium and exhibits and information about Missouri fish and wildlife. There will be more than 4,000 animals on exhibit at the fair. A parade, which Lloyd said is an Ozarks Empire Fairgrounds tradition, will begin at 6:30 p.m. each evening during the fair’s run.

There is a new roster of performers this year for the KY3 Grandstand shows. Country music artists Sawyer Brown, Deana Carter, Aaron Tippin and Trace Adkins will perform during the 2005 Ozark Empire Fair. Other performers include classic rockers John Kay and Steppenwolf and Christian/pop artists ZOEgirl.

An online survey about the fair is conducted afterward, in October, and participants asked several questions, including which performers they would like to see in the future. “We received upwards of 400 responses this year,” Lloyd said.

Fair organizers begin making offers in December to artists they wanted to add to the lineup.

“We’re very pleased with it. The only open night is Monday, Aug. 1. We have an offer in to an alternative rock group (and) hope to be making an announcement for that very soon,” Lloyd said.

Reserved seat tickets for grandstand performances are $10 or $12, plus fair admission. With fair admission, there is some free bleacher seating available, Lloyd said, but for the best seats, he recommends tickets, which are available at www.smstix.com.

Another change to the fair is that there will be two Thunder in the Dirt truck and tractor pulls produced by Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulling Association. Those shows will be held at 1 and 7 p.m. Aug. 6, and tickets are $3 and $5, plus fair admission.

As usual, there will be shopping in the E*Plex and plenty of the food that fairgoers expect, such as corn dogs, cotton candy, barbecue, tornado taters and jugs of icy cold root beer. Crispy, batter-fried apples and peaches are new additions to the menu this year.

Florida-based Reithoffer Shows will provide more than 40 rides, including a carousel, Tilt-A-Whirl and giant Ferris wheel, and a separate kids’ carnival with shaded seating areas and carnival games in the midway.

Lloyd said he is optimistic that the 2005 fair will meet or exceed the 238,815 fairgoers who visited the Ozark Empire Fair in 2004 – if the weather cooperates.

“We had 10 days of absolutely perfect weather last year. In my 27 years of fair production, (it was) one of the best, probably the top three weatherwise that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing,” Lloyd said.

He noted that planning for this year’s fair began when the 2004 fair was in production, so that staff members could take notes on what worked and areas that needed improvements.

One such area where fairgoers will notice improvements is in traffic congestion and parking.

“Our weekends are always busy, and there’s always a backup of traffic along Norton (Road) coming into Gate 4, which is that gate most often used by the public,” Lloyd said.

Organizers are working with city officials to get approval for the creation of a new entrance, which Lloyd said would alleviate demand and traffic on Norton Road.

“People would come in off of Norton from the east or west and be directed toward Smith Street, which is that road that runs between us and the zoo,” he said. “We would create a stacking lane … a temporary barricade, at which point our guests would be assessed a parking fee and then be directed to parking lots.”

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