- Kentucky State Fair
The Kentucky State Fair is the
state fair ofKentucky which takes place at theKentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. It lasts eleven days and includes competitions in crafts such as quilt-making,homebrew ed beers, and home-madepastries , as well asfine arts and agricultural competitions. The World Championship Horse Show is the fair's most famous event. Attendees can also enjoy live music (TheOak Ridge Boys always have a concert), various exhibitions and performances, and unique events such aspig racing. A number of exhibitor spaces are available and are popular with area businesses, but are also reserved by area churches and politicians as well.The fair was organized in 1816, just five years after the
United States ' first fair inMassachusetts . Fayette County farmer Colonel Lewis Sanders (no known relation to Colonel Harlan Sanders ofKentucky Fried Chicken fame) was the organizer. The event did not become an official state fair until 1902. The fair moved from city to city until 1908, when Louisville became the fair's permanent home.Churchill Downs has hosted the fair on three separate occasions, particularly duringWorld War II . The fair moved to its current site in 1956.Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom , which is located on the Exposition Center grounds, becomes a part of the midway during the run of each year's fair.The fair has had attendance of over 600,000 for 18 years as of 2006. The 2006 attendance was 614,477, down two percent from 2005. [cite news |title=Fair attendance dips 2 percent |url=http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/othercities/louisville/stories/2006/08/28/daily28.html?b=1156737600%5E1338708 |publisher="
South Florida Business Journal " |date=2006-08-30 |accessdate=2007-08-18]In both 2007 and 2008, there were 600 temporary jobs available due to the Kentucky State Fair. Due to the high turnover, as many as 1,000 people, if not more, may be hired during the fair to fill the 600 jobs. In 2008 a record turnout to apply for tempoary jobs occurred. [Williams, J.D. [http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080807/BUSINESS/808070462/-1/NLETTER01&source=nletter-news Wanted: Jobs at fair] "
Courier-Journal " August 7, 2008]References
ee also
*
List of attractions and events in Louisville, Kentucky External links
* [http://www.kystatefair.org/ Official site]
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