Monmouth County Fair officials counting revenue loss following storms
The 38th annual Monmouth County Fair was closed Sunday following strong storms that moved through the area Saturday evening.
MARY FRANK/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Written by Dustin Racioppi
from: Asbury Park Press
Jul 30, 2012
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — It began as one for the record books, and in the end it became disappointingly so.
This year’s Monmouth County Fair, ultimately, was on the wrong side of history. In a summer known so far for a relentless run of heat waves and dried-out days, driving rain, heavy winds and an anomalous weather event called a “supercell” storm swept in and spoiled the fun by washing out at least half of the fair’s five scheduled days.
“Everything we do is outdoors, so you just never know what the weather is going to be,” said Karen Livingstone, spokeswoman for the co-hosting Monmouth County Park System. “The weather can go for you or against you.”
The 38th annual Monmouth County Fair was closed Sunday following strong storms that moved through the area Saturday evening.
MARY FRANK/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Written by Dustin Racioppi
from: Asbury Park Press
Jul 30, 2012
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — It began as one for the record books, and in the end it became disappointingly so.
This year’s Monmouth County Fair, ultimately, was on the wrong side of history. In a summer known so far for a relentless run of heat waves and dried-out days, driving rain, heavy winds and an anomalous weather event called a “supercell” storm swept in and spoiled the fun by washing out at least half of the fair’s five scheduled days.
“Everything we do is outdoors, so you just never know what the weather is going to be,” said Karen Livingstone, spokeswoman for the co-hosting Monmouth County Park System. “The weather can go for you or against you.”
A storm on Saturday night did some damage to tents set up for the Monmouth County Fair in Freehold Township.
MARY FRANK/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
In all, 39,000 people visited the fair this year. Livingstone said officials had hoped for about 65,000 people, the same number who visited last year. The record for attendance was 110,500 in 1993.
Livingstone did not have estimates on the revenue losses; not all the bills have come in, she said. Last year the fair pulled in $409,000 in revenue; it was not immediately clear Monday what the expenses were.
The park system is covered by county insurance, but Livingstone was unsure whether it covered for losses due to cancellations.
Rain or severe weather tends to wipe out at least one day of the fair each year, Livingstone said.
But this year, the 38th annual, could only manage two full days – Wednesday, which saw a record 17,000 people pass the gates, and Friday. There was a half-day on Saturday. Thursday was called off ahead of time for predicted bad weather, and Sunday was canceled following Saturday night’s major storm.
“At the worst it’s just one day” that is normally canceled, said vendor Peter Becker, owner of Four Boys Ice Cream in Englishtown. “This was basically three days out of the five.”
read more:
http://www.app.com/article/20120730/NJNEWS/307300078/Monmouth-County-Fair-officials-counting-revenue-loss-following-storms?nclick_check=1
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