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05.09.2025 - 14.09.2025 Kansas State Fair in KS, Hutchinson
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Link zum Beitrag #1073146 Verfasst am Montag, 23. März 2026 17:20
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Zitat Rain dampens attendance, creates challenges at Kansas State Fair
AT: B. Derek Shaw
bdshaw@amusementtoday.com
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — “Weather played a big factor in the attendance of the 2025 Kansas State Fair,” said General Manager Bryan Schulz. “We received about a half an inch of rain on the first day of the fair and then a little over two additional inches on Monday. With the amount of moisture that we had received over the summer, the water table in our area was very high and had nowhere for the water to go. This caused a huge problem with our parking lots, which we ended up having to close. This caused us to pivot, and we had to move all parking to several locations throughout the city of Hutchinson, including the mall and Hutchinson Community College. . We were finally able to get back into two of the three major lots on the last Friday of the fair and into all of the lots late day on the last Saturday. This caused a major decrease in attendance.”
That decrease amounted to nearly 28,000 fewer fairgoers during the 10-day event this year over 2024.
The theme of the fair was “Get Fairified at the Kansas State Fair,” Schulz explained. “We work with a marketing agency, and this was our third year having this theme. Fairification is easy. All it takes is one trip to the Kansas State Fair, and you’re in! — [The] objective is to experience all things Kansas State Fair — eat something deep fried, ride Ye Old Mill, see the largest pumpkin, etc. and once you have checked these off your list, you are Fairified!” Fair, and you’re in! – [The] objective is to experience all things Kansas State Fair – eat something deep fried, ride Ye Old Mill, see the largest pumpkin, etc. and once you have checked these off your list, you are Fairified!”
“North American Midway Entertainment (NAME) was proud to once again serve as the official midway provider for the 2025 Kansas State Fair, bringing a diverse lineup of attractions, games and food concessions to Hutchinson,” said Lynda Franc, corporate marketing director.
All told, there were 40 rides, 17 of them were kiddie rides, along with 8 food stands and 27 games.
“This year’s midway featured exciting new rides, including the Downdraft by Battech and the Cliff Hanger by Dartron, alongside crowd favorites like the Pinfari Bullet Train coaster, Chance Giant Wheel, and Chance Pharaoh’s Fury,” said Franc. Pinfari Bullet Train coaster, Chance Giant Wheel, and Chance Pharaoh’s Fury,” said Franc.
“Despite bouts of rain affecting attendance, the fair delivered strong midway participation, continuing NAME’s long tradition of successful partnerships with the Kansas State Fair. Weather is always a factor, but fairgoers in Kansas are incredibly resilient, and our team was thrilled to see so many families return for another great year of fun and memories. Our relationship with the Kansas State Fair remains one of the highlights of our season. The fair team is professional, collaborative and shares our commitment to safety, guest experience and continuous improvement. We’re already looking forward to bringing new thrills and family attractions to next year’s fair,” said Franc.
“North American Midway Entertainment and the Kansas State Fair have a long-lasting relationship that stems for honesty and commitment to providing attendees to the Kansas State Fair with a fun, safe, family-friendly entertainment option,” said Schulz.
The fair has deep agricultural roots, however, it doesn’t just highlight farming — it celebrates Kansas culture, people, products and pride. The exhibits, foods, entertainment and contests center around what makes Kansas unique — from local artisans to Kansas-based companies and performers.
“Many visitors note its accessible size: large enough to impress, but small enough to feel personal,” said Schulz.
Few fairs balance heritage and modernization as effectively. You’ll find draft horse pulls and antique tractors alongside cutting-edge agriculture equipment — a true celebration of Kansas’ past and future.
Schulz talked about their media mix. “We have a mix of digital/social email/SMS for most of our promotional offerings and then add TV and radio buys closer to the fair. Email marketing once again proved to be our strongest sales driver. Efforts to expand the database were successful, particularly through sign-ups tied to concert presales. We have also concentrated on building our SMS texting database. We only utilize a small portion of printed media — using local papers and mainly negotiating ticket trades instead of paid ads. Our marketing budget is around $475,000. We used social media for more paid ads for concert advertising and promotions versus organic posts.”
“We expanded our social ambassador program, explained Schultz. “Ambassadors are selected based on their application submissions to represent the fair through their social media and are invited to complete activities from June through August. Tasks include sharing posts from the Kansas State Fair, creating their own posts, and other actions. They earn points for every action taken to earn fair tickets, including gate admission, concert, midway tickets and ticket packages. This year, we had around 58 active participants,” explained Schulz.
The fair had 94 food vendors. Some of the more interesting food offerings included truffle burger — The Beer Garden, fried pies — Little B’s Fried Pies, blackened shrimp — Midstate Cookers, fried brownie bites and pulled pork corn dog — Pop’s Place, firecracker wontons, lobster corn dogs and cookie butter beignets — Waddle Wagon and pineapple smoothie – Fry Shack D Dusek Concessions.
Grandstand entertainment included Sam Barber with Avery Anna, Jeff Dunham, Josh Turner with Jason Scott & the High Heat, Josiah Queen with Ben Fuller, Hairball, Ludacris with DJ Infamous, The Fray with Plain White Ts and Lorrie Morgan with Mason Ramsey.
Schulz talked about the employment challenges. “This is an issue every year. We are always looking for people who want to be part of the Kansas State Fair Family. We worked with an employment agency this year and that seemed to work better verses searching for and hiring ourselves.”
The 2026 edition returns September 11- 20.
●kansasstatefair.com

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