Business Lunch Opens Kings Fair

By Amy Roberts

Get ready to corral tickets to the official start of the Kings Fair.

The 23^rd annual noon Agri-Business Luncheon will be held Thursday, July 9, in the Wine Garden. Tickets sell for the bargain price of $15 each, which includes a complimentary pass for any one day of the fair’s July 9-12 run.

This year’s guest speaker is Stephen Chambers. He is the executive director of the Western Fairs Association, an organization he’s been associated with for more than 20 years. During that time, he confidently describes himself as visiting more fairs than any living person.

“I should have that title in the Guinness’s book of world records,” he said recently. I’m just passionate about fairs and I’m a recognized national expert on agricultural fairs.”

Due to this recognition, Chambers has been a featured guest on many national news and media outlets including National Public Radio, Good Morning America, the Wall Street Journal and Nightline. The media, he added, seems to think agricultural fairs are just a rural phenomenon to which he said he replies, “They are now more relevant and successful than ever before. These fairs have more fans even though we’re no longer an agrarian society and people aren’t coming to find out who has the best sheaf of wheat.”

Chambers said the farthest he’s traveled was to attend a fair in Finland.

“It was unbelievable – we were there in June and the sun went down around 3:30 a.m. for about five minutes.”

Chambers said it’s been a long time since he has had an opportunity to visit the Kings Fair.

He’s very excited to revisit it since he has often heard George Soares speak highly of this particular fair.

“After working closely with George Soares for many years – and he’s one of the most impressive people I know – he often says this is his favorite fair,” Chambers said. Soares, he added, has been Western Fairs advisor and advocate for more than 20 years.

“He is so well respected that if you have him on your team your ahead of the race.” Chambers said.

Founded in 1922, the Western Fairs Association is a non-profit trade organization that serves the fair industry throughout the Western United States and Canada. Its main function is to promote the prosperity of fairs through a variety of methods including educational activities, training programs and legislative advocacy, according to its Web site. The organization serves more than 2,000 members of fair-related businesses, fair management, festivals and industry associations. Oversight is conducted by 23 elected members who govern the activities and policies of the association.