Our View: The fair could be improved

The Sweetwater County Fair has come and gone.

The rides, funnel cakes, the concerts and Lanky the Clown won’t come back for another year, but we think a few more things could be added to that list to make the fair better.

The county fair is a great time. Don’t take this column as a “the fair needs to change because it’s boring” kind of attack on the volunteers and employees who help set it up every year. We simply think a few things could be added.

If distilled to its most basic components, the Sweetwater County Fair is essentially a music festival with a carnival and entertainment. We realize it’s also a big week for the boys and girls involved with 4-H, but the fair as it’s built is marketed more towards people who want to enjoy a night of live music and fun than showcasing the 4-H program’s talents.

One thing the fair could do is focus on everything the Sweetwater County Events Complex provides to the community. This is already done partially through the Red Desert Roundup Rodeo which kicks off the county fair, but it could be bookended with a special Sunday night race at the nearby race track or an afternoon motocross event.

Another idea would be to host a demolition derby after the fair concludes. We miss the old firefighters’ demolition derbies and believe they should make a return.

Of course, an organization would have to be interested in hosting the derby, as it’s something the fairgrounds staff would have very little time to do during Wyoming’s Big Show.

A smaller, easier to set up idea would be for the fair to host more culinary challenges.

Sure, cakes, cookies and pies have their day in the spotlight, but other contests such as a salsa or barbecue sauce contest would fit into the lineup.

The salsa and barbecue sauce contests could take place the final day of the fair and could be judged by local members of the county 4-H or Future Farmers of America.

The fair is a fine week of fun in Sweetwater County. But, it certainly could be retooled and improved in small ways as well.

Something as small as a new culinary arts contest or major as a race night or demolition derby would only improve the fair’s offerings and solidify its place as Wyoming’s Big Show.