Winter Fest Saturday at fairgrounds

The second annual Winter Fest kicks off at 5 p.m. this Saturday at the fairgrounds in Basin. At the Fair Board meeting Jan. 6, Fair Manager Catherine Foss gave the board an update. 

Fair Board members in attendance were Luke Foss, Tracy Haley. Kelli Mercer, Rebecca Bates and Tucker McKim. Also in attendance were commissioner Deb Craft and 4-H Educator Gretty Gasvoda. 

Foss reported that there will be laser tag, a cupcake walk, mechanical bull rides, and carnival games. Local FFA chapters and Big Horn County 4-H will have booths. Nachos and pulled pork are available for purchase. 

Money raised will go toward fair project accounts. The cost is $25 per family, $10 per individual. 

PIG BARN

The board discussed the pig barn.  Fair board member Austin Layne wasn’t at the meeting but sent word that he has heard from some contractors who are interested in donating time, labor, materials and money. Those contractors would like more specifics about the building. 

 McKim brought up the idea of adding to the multipurpose building. The extension would include the pig barn on the south end. He noted that with the extension more roping events could be added, thus bringing in more income and increasing usage.  

Craft suggested McKim measure the area of the footprint of the proposed addition. She said she would add the discussion to the agenda of the commissioner meeting the following day. She will ask the county maintenance supervisor Jeremy Pouska to be part of that discussion. 

Board members say the current pig barn is unsafe. Several feel that fundraising would be easier if there was an actual plan/drawing/rendering of what the building would be. 

FINANCIALS 

An unpaid bill from the 2024 fair was discussed. It was from Marquis Awards. The board voted to pay the bill of $7250.91, as it was from July 2024.  Manager Foss said that because of this bill and a few other items the fair is over budget. 

She presented a list of income from the fair hall, multi-purpose building, merchandise, etc. Non-fair income totaled $2,935.   She has to date sold $4,500 in fair ads/sponsorships. 

The board reviewed the income from the 2024 grandstand events and the mechanical bull. Craft suggested double checking those numbers. There was some discussion on the recent goat roping event and perhaps it should be added to the fair line-up this year. 

Foss said she is working with county to on the next budget’s line items.  She is struggling to find reasonable insurance for the mechanical bull. It brought in around $2,200, according to the records she found. Insurance was running around $6,000.

OTHER BUSINESS

• The board is still looking for suggestions for the 2025 fair theme. Email to fair@bighorncountywy.gov. Please have suggestions to the fair by Feb. 2. A poster board will be at Winter Fest for people to write their suggestions. 

• Board elections were held. Foss will remain the chair, Mercer will retain the treasurer position, Rebecca Bates was elected secretary. She replaces Haley. 

•Gasvoda gave dates, times and location of beef tagging. 

• Pig racing is not likely to be scheduled again until 2026. The board voted to not host a smash derby this year.  

• There will be a meeting with TCT, the county commissioners, and the county’s IT company about upgrades to the internet on the grounds. 

• The food vendor application could be revised. There were some complaints from fair goers about the vendors moving to the grandstands. The goers didn’t want to pay for a ticket to the event, just to purchase a meal. The application could require the vendors be open set hours/days. 

• Corporate sponsorships were discussed. 

• Foss reported that she would like to add a vendor section on the northeast end of the grounds
by the exhibit buildings. Her hope is it would result in more people visiting the exhibits while visiting the vendors.