(WBIR- Jefferson County) The Jefferson County Fair continues despite financial despair after last year's big event.
The fair was more than $60,000 in debt, but Sharon Ward, the fair treasurer, said they managed to do enough fundraisers to pay the utilities and keep the event going.
"I have really pinched a lot of pennies in the last year to get to where we are right now," Ward said.
The fair opened Thursday night, and Ward said they are paying for everything upfront this year and working on the debt still owed from past years.
"This year we're trying to get ourselves built back up and piecing everything back together," she said.
Jefferson County Fair President Ricky Taylor said bad weather and pricey entertainment acts put the fair in debt. They're hoping for bigger crowds and better weather this year to make up for the loss.
"We are very fortunate to be able to have a fair this year thanks to all the support," he said. "And that's what it's going to take, people coming out to the fair to make sure that we'll have one next year."
Attendance was up on the opening night by almost 400 people from last year, Ward said.
This year's fair features carnival rides, a pageant, a sheep show, a dairy show, ATV drag races, a demolition derby, a lawnmower derby, and more.
Fair staff debated raising ticket prices after last year's fair, but opted to keep the price at $12, which includes all rides and entertainment, to keep the tickets affordable for families.
"We want to keep it very economical for everybody so that if you have a large family and you have a lot of kids, you can still afford to come out," Ward said.
The fair is still more than $40,000 in debt, but Ward said they are going to keep working to bring that number down so the fair can continue for a 74th year.
"This is something that's probably going to take a few years for us to get back on our feet," she said, "but we're going to try our darndest to do that."
