Van Buren fair earns Blue Ribbon Fair award

The Van Buren County Fair held in Keosauqua has been awarded the 2013 Blue Ribbon Fair Award by the board of directors of the Association of Iowa Fairs.

The award was presented to the Van Buren County Fair?s board of directors at the association?s 2013 conference and annual meeting Dec. 13-15 in Des Moines.

The Van Buren County Fair was chosen to receive the award from all the fairs in the association?s Southeast District.

?One member fair in each of the association?s six fair districts in Iowa is presented this award each year.? stated Thomas Barnes, executive director of the association. ?The fair that receives this award must have shown progress in providing service to the youth programs in their community, plus show distinguished service the community in both fair and nonfair areas. My wife Sue and I have visited the Van Buren County Fair several times, and we found it does indeed serve very well the community as outlined in the guidelines of this award.

?The board of directors of the Association of Iowa Fairs would like to extend its sincere appreciation to the Van Buren County Fair board and their spouses for their commitment to their fair, and to the fair industry in Iowa,? Barnes added. ?We also would like to thank the Van Buren County Extension Service, 4-H leaders and members, area FFA chapters and all the many other area volunteers that are involved with the fair. They all combined make the Van Buren County Fair a Blue Ribbon Fair.?

The Association of Iowa Fairs is the organizational body of the fair industry in Iowa. It has as its members the 106 county fairs of Iowa and the Iowa State Fair, and 130- plus associate members, such as carnivals, entertainment agencies, festivals, chambers, concessionaires, special attractions and suppliers of the industry.

Together, the members of the association work together to promote and strengthen the fair industry in Iowa.

The 2014 officers of the association are President Jo Reynolds of Indianola, First Vice President Rick Palmer of Manchester and Second Vice President Jerry Hopperstad of Northwood. The immediate past president is Joe Yedlik of Walker. Thomas and Susan Barnes of Cresco serve as the association?s executive director and executive secretary/treasurer respectively, and are associated with the Mighty Howard County Fair in Cresco.

For further information on the Association of Iowa Fairs, visit the website www.iowafairs.com.