Hi, Ho! Come to the Fair!

Fair fever! In the Southwest, it usually catches people unawares, along about October, just when the weather begins to cool. There is no known remedy to control the condition, which in its final stages manifests an intense craving for big-name entertainment; thrill rides; games of skill; exhibitions of arts, crafts, homemaking talents; garden products, and livestock; and such exotic concoctions as cotton candy, corn dogs, Indian fry bread, and frosty lemonade in a choice of colors.

There seems to be only one way to relieve the symptoms: complete and total submission. Accordingly, thousands succumb annually to the lure of the Arizona State Fair.

Although the tradition of such a celebration in Arizona is now 105 years old, the current extravaganza-this year it's October 12 to 29-bears only a faint resemblance to its earliest predecessor, the Arizona Territorial Fair of 1884. Four years after Phoenix incorporated, a citizens' committee presented the first fair on a tiny site near the Salt River, south of the city limits.

The opening was scheduled for mid-December, but bad weather forced repeated postponements until Christmas Day. Featured were horse, pony, and mule races as well as displays of farm and Home products and dairy and beef cattle exhibits. Approximately 400 people attended nearly one-sixth of the Salt River Valley's population.

After some fits and starts, including a 14-year hiatus resulting from the flood of 1891, the Arizona Territorial Fair Association-as the citizens' committee had come to be known-incorporated in 1905 and started planning for a fair that fall. Purchasing 80 acres northwest of Phoenix for $9,220, the association built two racetracks and a wooden grandstand. The site, later expanded to 88 acres, remains today as the Arizona State Fairgrounds, though the city has long since engulfed it.

In time the Arizona Territorial Fair Association was superseded by the Territorial Fair Commission, and the Floriculture Building and Home Economics Building (at first called the Mining and the Women's buildings, respectively) were constructed; both are still in use.

During the territorial fair of 1907, horses and buggies lined the streets surrounding the fairgrounds for at least a mile, and spectators packed the grandstands to watch Dan Patch, a champion pacer. The crowd cheered wildly as the famous horse broke the world's record. And nearly every child who rode the merry-go-round (the only amusement ride on the grounds) slapped the wooden horse's reins and shouted, "Faster, Dan Patch, faster!"

In 1909 the territorial legislature appropriated funds to purchase the fairgrounds from the association and set aside $7,500 for prizes and maintenance and $15,000 for improvements.

Streetcar tracks were laid on Grand Avenue just in time for the 1911 fair, and the cars deposited fairgoers right at the grounds. But they stepped off the streetcars into oozing mud from steady rainfall In 1912 statehood was conferred on Arizona Territory, and the Territorial Fair Commission became the State Fair Commission.

Fairgoers of 1914 saw something new: contests. A "Better Babies Contest" was held under the supervision of the Congress of the Mothers of the State of Arizona. Scheduled to take place in two large tents, the contest drew 350 entries. After the tents blew down twice justprior to the fair opening, the Congress of Mothers decided that better babies belonged elsewhere.

Although the "Better Babies" competition came to an abrupt end, other contests became a tradition. For many years, beauty competitions were popular. Morerecently there have been contests for Arizona Granny of the Year, best pet costume (a Doberman disguised as a three-headed dog won last year), egg cooking, pigeon rolling, turkey gobbling and rooster crowing (for humans, not poultry), and best sheep or goat costume.

In 1921 the cotton crop failed and no fair took place. From then on, the fair continued except for interruptions for the Great Depression and for World War II. "Today people still want the same things they remember from years past," said Gary Montgomery, present executive director of the Arizona State Fair. "They like the familiar, but they also want to see something new. We try to change with the times, yet keep that traditional feeling."

One of the biggest changes for the 1989 fair is the schedule, opening two weeks earlier than in the past. In an effort to reduce air pollution, the fair's dates have been advanced to October 12 through 29. (With the advent of cooler weather, an inversion layer in the atmosphere tends to trap smog in the Valley, and the heavy traffic attracted by the fair has added to the problem.) Theme for the 1989 fair is "The fun is just beginning."

"We do focus on safety," Montgomery said. "We work hard to create a place that's safe and fun, where people can come to enjoy themselves. They leave happy-exhausted, but happy."

Until the 1950s, Arizona's fair, like most around the country, was agriculturally oriented. But times change, and as the years passed the number of Arizonans directly involved in farming, ranching, and related occupations diminished. Meanwhile, television was orienting people to instant entertainment. As a consequence, fair attendance lagged almost everywhere. Later, when stage shows became part of the fair scenery, ticket sales again boomed and personal appearances by actors, dancers, and musicians became the number one draw. Today's Arizona fairgoers come primarily to see big-name performers at the Coliseum. No additional charge is made for the Coliseum shows; a fairgrounds Today's Arizona fairgoers come primarily to see big-name performers at the Coliseum. No additional charge is made for the Coliseum shows; a fairgrounds

admission ticket covers all events and exhibits except attractions on the midway. In addition to the Coliseum activities, professionals and talented amateurs present continuous performances on five open-air stages.

Surprisingly perhaps, the second most common reason people visit the fair is to see the exhibits, especially the agricultural ones. “The animals are always popular, and the petting zoo appeals to children and adults alike,” Montgomery said. Last year, after officiating at opening ceremonies, Governor Rose Mofford visited the petting zoo. The animals loved her, too—or at least her red suit. One of the pygmy goats tried to eat her skirt.

In addition to agricultural exhibits, last year's fair boasted nearly 350 commercial displays offering everything from kitchen gadgets to palm reading; almost 100 educational exhibits, including presentations by character actors from the Arizona Historical Society; a bright yellow, radio-controlled talking hydrant sponsored by Valley fire departments to teach children fire safety; and a display of giant vegetables, complete with experts who provided gardening tips.

“One year an exhibit that drew a lot of attention,” recalled Sherry Pew, director of entries, “was the booth with a woman who demonstrated how to spin yarn.

But she didn't use sheep's wool; she had several dogs in the booth and spun their hair into yarn to knit sweaters.” Also popular are the “premium events,” those in which awards or prizes are given. Last year more than 30,000 entries were displayed in competition categories ranging from agriculture to apiary, fine arts to floriculture, hobbies to homemaking arts, scarecrows to student science.

“Most entries are in the homemaking categories,” Pew said. “There are also a great many in student art. Naturally the greatest number come from Maricopa “Most entries are in the homemaking categories,” Pew said. “There are also a great many in student art. Naturally the greatest number come from Maricopa County, because that is where the fair is held, but we have entries from all over the state.” Fairgoers, too, come from the entire state. Montgomery says that approximately 60 percent are from Maricopa County, but the remainder represent not only the rest of Arizona but many other states as well. In terms of attendance, the 1988 Arizona State Fair was the 14th largest in the nation, with 1,031,894 visitors in 18 days. A record for a single day was also set on Saturday, November 5, 1988, with a total of 124,111.

The fairs of about two decades ago had characteristic problems. During the late 1960s, confidence games, shills, and sensational or bizarre side shows were common on the midway. In the early '70s, the state fair's reputation was severely damaged when several officials were indicted for embezzlement. A gang fight marred the 1978 fair. A new administrative staff, improved security, the return of family-oriented entertainment, and enforcement of strict standards for rides and games have all helped the Arizona State Fair repair its image. "We have made the fair once again a family activity," Montgomery said. "We have entertainment suitable for the whole family. We have undercover people checking the games and rides. And we don't sell alcoholic beverages. Consequently, our attendance is up. We plan to keep it that way." Ranked by midway gross receipts, the 1988 Arizona State Fair was first in the nation with more than $4 million recorded. "The state fair brings a lot of revenue to the community, too," Montgomery said. "Food vendors buy most of their supplies locally, and they must have licenses and pay taxes. We hire about 1,400 people for each fair. And all the midway people have to lodge and shop somewhere. If the fair generates $10 million in gross revenues, the multiplier factor of four or five means that the fair gives an economic boost to the Valley."

The Arizona State Fair is self-supporting, financing its operating budget from earnings, not from tax monies. Profits are reinvested in the fair and in upkeep and improvement of the buildings and grounds. Before the 1988 fair, $700,000 was spent to renovate and expand rest room facilities. Other improvements included resurfacing the Avenue of Flags and adjacent areas and adding new picnic benches. Completed in time for the 1989 fair is Phase I of a new 200,000-square-foot Agriculture Center.

Over the years, Sue Sanders and Val Thirkell have seen many changes in the fair. Sanders, 70, has been returning to work at the fair for 19 years. Thirkell has been there 12 years. They help staff the various information booths around the grounds. "The Arizona State Fair has it all," Thirkell said. "Lots of human interest. One year a couple was married on the Ferris wheel. Babies have been born here. And you can see just about anything here, including some pretty strange and funny people. It's a lot of fun. That's why I keep coming back."

Sanders agreed. "They could do the fair without me, but I don't want them to find that out. I love it: the people, the excitement, so much to see. I work the fair for the fun of it."

And, for another year, the fun is just beginning.