Schools and businesses are not the only thing taking a hit from the budget impasse. County Fairs all over the state of Illinois are lacking funds that help generate fairs.
The Cole’s County Fair has not received a check from the state in two years said the board president Tom Jones. At the end of each fair they pay back 28 percent in premiums and the state will reimburse them.
Even though they haven’t had a check in a couple of years Jones said they have been getting by with the money they have generated over the past few years.
If they continue to not receive money from the state they will possibly cut an event such as horse racing Jones said.
The horse jockeys pay nomination and other fees to race and they normally get reimbursed for the fees they pay. Since the fair hasn’t been getting money from the state the horse jockeys are basically paying for themselves to race.
The majority of the jockeys race for their career so many of them are going to other states where the money is.
"Horse races have been around for so long and that's kind of the one event that's getting the back burner because of the budget cuts,” Pageant Queen Catie Witt said. “Horse races are less popular but that doesn't necessarily means we should just get rid of it."
The Cole’s County Fair is longest continuing fair in the state of Illinois and they will be celebrating 153 years this year. The fair has different events such as cattle shows, demolition derby, a pageant show and a carnival.
Despite the lack of money the fair has they are still keeping their general admission prices the same they’ve always been. Jones said the reason they do this is because the amount of young kids that come to the fair.
The county fair is supportive of the youth with the different events it has to offer. The fair also teaches young children about why agriculture is important to the economy.
“That’s why county fairs are so important,” Witt said. “It shows people where they get their meat from. It’s funny because some people don’t know the difference between pork and beef.”
The Cole’s County Fair is doing better than other fairs in Illinois but Jones said it would be a shame to see the fair end because the state isn’t giving them money.
The 153rd Cole’s County Fair will run from July 31through August 7.
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