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Attachment 2 <br />Potential Orange County Fair <br />Preliminary Report / Background Information <br />I. Background / Introduction <br />County fairs in North Carolina date back to the latter part of the 19th century in many <br />parts of the state. Sometimes called "homecomings," fairs were a significant social <br />occasion in rural counties, with agricultural shows and food exhibits taking the forefront. <br />The nature of these fairs has evolved considerably over time, with addition of games, <br />amusement rides and food vendors to varying degrees. <br />The concept of a county fair in Orange County, an event that would combine agricultural <br />themes and exhibits with social gathering, interaction and community - building, has been <br />raised on occasion in the past as a way to bring together people from the different areas <br />of Orange County. The Shaping Orange's County's Future Task Force recommended a <br />county fair in 1999, noting as an action strategy to "Foster Community Interaction and <br />Activity" the need to <br />Create more all- county shared events, such as an Orange County Fair, arts, music and <br />drama festivals. Strive to make events multi - cultural and of interest to all residents of <br />the county. <br />In recent months, the idea of a County Fair has gained exposure and discussion, and <br />was mentioned at the Board of Commissioners' February 1 goal- setting retreat. <br />The purpose of this document is to provide preliminary context for the Board's <br />discussion of this topic. A comparison of the different types of fairs is provided, along <br />with case studies of a range of existing county fairs and their management structures. <br />II. What Is a County Fair? <br />One of the first challenges in examining existing county fairs and considering the nature <br />of such an event locally is to define what constitutes a county fair. <br />As may be expected, there appears to be no easy, simple answer. As shown in the <br />attached table, most county fairs in North Carolina grew out of and retain an agricultural <br />heritage and exhibit component as a core piece. In the early days of fairs, as harvest <br />time was completed or approaching, fairs offered an opportunity for a community to <br />come together for fellowship, enjoyment and amusement; compare and show livestock <br />0 <br />