Grant County Fair increases tickets by $1

EPHRATA - Patrons attending this year's Grant County Fair will have to shell out an extra dollar for each ticket.

County commissioners unanimously approved an increase to gate prices by $1, interior parking by $10 and season pass tickets between $1-$7.

The changes were requested recently from county fairgrounds manager Jerry Gingrich.

"The Grant County Fair has not had a ticket price increase in more than eight years while our operating costs have increased dramatically during this time," he wrote commissioners.

Gingrich said he expects to generate more than $25,000 on the increased gate prices alone. He said that the fair would make an extra $39,000 all together with the ticket price increases, which would be used to offset increased costs of power, garbage removal and shavings purchase and removal for livestock.

Gingrich said he hoped to use some of the extra revenue to pay for replacement of the bleachers, which could cost $500,000-$750,000 and the septic system, which the state health department recently took issue with.

"We're not doing this to make a bunch of money, we're just trying to offset rising costs and help to pay for the bleachers and new septic system," he said.

Ticket prices for this year's fair will be $8 for adults, $3 for children, $6 for seniors and $19 for a family of five.

Tuesday for the fair will still be free, as in past years, but interior parking will increase from $30 to $40.