To Cover Losses, Fair Considers Price Increase for Season Passes, Admission Charge for Grandstand Acts
The Central Wisconsin State Fair is considering two changes to next year’s fair to recoup losses from the last few years. One measure is a $5 increase to the price of a season pass.
“We would be increasing the cost for a season pass $5 at every time,” said Dale Christiansen, Executive Director of the Central Wisconsin State Fair, during the Fair Board meeting last Monday. “It would be $25 for November to December, $30 from the First of January through April or May, and then after that until the May or June deadline, a season pass would be $35.“
The fair website has already started advertising the increased prices. “We have to be able to dig our way out of this hole one way or another,“ said Christiansen.
The second change being considered is charging for Grandstand admission to a few of the concerts during the fair. General admission is normally free with ticket prices for priority seating.
“We cannot continue to do what we have been doing with the Grandstand entertainment because we are falling short on raising revenue that way,” said Christiansen. “Do we go to just two nights of free entertainment with your season pass, and two nights of hard tickets for two mainline music acts?”
A comprehensive financial report of the 2018 fair is not yet available. The next meeting of the fair board is scheduled for Nov. 19 at 7:00 PM at the Fair Office. The 2019 fair is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20 to Sunday, August 25.
