THE BALLOON MAN

Planning has begun for next year’s Georgia National Fair

-------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, Dec. 09, 2010
By ANGELA WOOLEN - awoolen@macon.com
PERRY -- Plans are already in the works for the 2011 Georgia National Fair.

During the December meeting for the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority, held Wednesday at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter, Ashley Brown, commercial sales representative at the fairgrounds, said she already has some acts scheduled to return as well as new ideas.

The petting zoo will return to the fair. The zoo got such a good response from fairgoers about its rented giraffe, the zoo plans to buy one. The zoo might also have a rented rhinoceros.

Shenaniguns, Grafted by Grace, Tammy Barton the hypnotist, country artist Jay Taylor, Playin’ Possum, The Infinity Show Band as well as the circus, racing pigs and the U.S. Army Band will also return.

Brown said the fair is looking into new ideas such as hot air balloon rides, a blacksmith demonstration, alligator wrestling and dog acts.

They have also talked to Cavello Equestrian Arts, which has trick horse riders, as well as Middle Earth Story Tellers, a children’s puppet show and storytelling group.

The group The Spinners is being looked at for the free Sneak-A-Peek night concert, Brown said.

The facility itself will get some renovations funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

According to Ron Goldsby, chief administrative officer and comptroller for the fairgrounds, Georgia received more than $60 million in funds that state agencies were allowed to submit energy-saving proposals for.

The agricenter received funding for two projects: a roofing project and a lighting retrofit project to install energy-efficient lights in all of the buildings.

Eight buildings will receive a new roofing membrane, which will save on electricity bills.

The cost for the roofing project is $460,000 and the lighting cost is $360,000.

The agricenter was awarded the money because of the relatively quick payback of the energy savings.

The light fixture cost savings will be $109,000 annually while the roof will save the center $73,000 each year, according to Goldsby.

The fair also won six awards from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions and was named a top 50 fair from carnivalware house.com.
Read more: http://www.macon.com/2010/12/09/1370223/planning-has-begun-for-next-years.html#ixzz17buBfSjV