It’s the final day of the Chelan County Fair, a smoky Sunday with thick gray air. However, the fair only takes place once a year, so there are still many people there. Kate Raddel, Chelan County Fair President, states “Absolutely not” when asked if there were ever any doubts about the fair being canceled or postponed this year due to the smoke from the Sugarloaf fire. However, later on in the interview, she stated that there were decreases in the number of people that showed up. “On our youth day, we didn’t have as many kids come in due to the smoke level,” Raddel says.
This year’s fair has a few changes, but the beef barn location change seems to be the most notable. Kate Raddel says, “At this year’s fair, we have moved our beef barn into the pavilion. So on Saturday’s auction, we can have an easier way to facilitate the animals all in one spot”.
Another change is the food vendors. Kate Raddel says, “We have about 10 new food vendors this year.” These food vendors include Almond Blossom and Tacos Chavos. Although people at the fair initially had trouble finding the new food vendors, they appreciated having new food options. In addition to the new food vendors, there were also a couple of new booths. One of which was the First Tee booth. It focuses on introducing youth to the game of golf and helps show its inherent values.
