Dear editor:

On behalf of the Berrien County Youth Fair, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Berrien County community for their participation in the fair during the week of Aug. 15-20.
We are lucky to have the most generous volunteers living right here in Berrien County; hundreds dedicate their time to the success of the fair by putting in thousands of hours to make the fair a great one. Directors, barn superintendents, judges and many more all worked together to provide a great experience for the youth of Berrien County. We had more than 2,400 exhibitors and more than 13,300 exhibits, from horses to flowers, from cakes to decorated trash cans.
We had great support from police agencies, fire departments and medical services across the county. Generous donors loaned the fair all types of equipment, from Gators to front end loaders. Our auction buyers purchased hundreds of animals at top dollar prices. We had wonderful talent in the USA-Expo Building and on the Al Barbott Stage all week. Media coverage was great, especially of our theme for this year’s fair: “Proud of the Past, Poised for the Future.”
The weather was beautiful with days in the low-80s and evenings in the 60s and a little rain to settle the dust early Saturday. People came out to see the exhibits, watch the shows and visit with friends. The fair was the “family friendly” entertainment of the summer and a great place to “stay-cation.” This year, we provided updated safety enhancements to the grandstand bleachers and repaved many of the roads.
I hope everyone from the youngest to the oldest made many lasting memories while visiting the exhibits, riding the midway rides, watching the entertainment or simply eating the once a year fair food. We look forward to next year as we are now busy planning and preparing for another great fair in 2012!

Sincerely,

Lana R. Stover-Henderson
Berrien County Youth Fair Manager