THE BALLOON MAN

 First State Fair under new management winds down

 

FROM---TimesDispatch.com
By: Jeremy Slayton | Richmond Times-Dispatch
Published: October 08, 2012
DOSWELL, Va. --
Four-and-a-half-year-old Houston Murdock held one hand in the air as he tried to maintain his grip on a mechanical bull with the other.
It was a gray, overcast Sunday – the 10th and final day of the State Fair of Virginia – but that did not dampen Houston's spirits as he clung to the bucking bull, wearing a wide smile across his face.
When the ride ended, Houston excitedly told his mother, Brigette Murdock how awesome the experience was. Attending the State Fair is nothing new for Murdock and her family – it's a family tradition.
"We've done this for probably more than 20 years," she said.
There was a time this year when the State Fair appeared in jeopardy. After declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December and converting to Chapter 7 liquidation in March, the fair survived under the co-ownership of Memphis, Tenn.-based Universal Fairs LLC and the Virginia Farm Bureau.
It's been a learning experience for both companies as they grow familiar with each other and operate a fair that has been around for more than 150 years.
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http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2012/oct/08/tdmet01-first-state-fair-under-new-management-wind-ar-2265309/