3/24/2025

IRONWOOD – More changes regarding the Gogebic County Fair could be decided Tuesday and Wednesday.  A non-profit organization called the “Friends of the Fair” are proposing taking over complete control of not just the fair but the Gogebic County Fair Grounds, all events at the fair ground and handle all winter storage rentals at the fairgrounds, with the group being allowed to keep all money raised with no oversite from the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners.  State Representative for the 110th District which includes Gogebic County Greg Markkanen says though he supports the County Fair he thinks the County Board not allowed to have oversite over the Friends of the Fair is a bad idea.

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Markkanen says without oversite it could put funding for the fair in Jeopardy.

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The “Friends of the Fair” is made up of Jim Gribble, Red Richards, Lori Bennetts and Keith Tippet. Linda Nelson former member of the Gogebic County Fair Board backs the change saying on the WUPM Facebook page in Part “This is the only way the Gogebic County Fair will survive. The Friends of the Fair has always looked out for the Fair as well as supported it. The Fairgrounds will still be owned by the County, just run by the FOF! Currently there is nothing going on at the Fairgrounds, this will be the only way to bring life back into this place!”  Discussion regarding the Friends of the Fair proposal will be discussed tomorrow at the Economic Development and Capital Improvement committee meeting at 4pm at the Gogebic County Court House in Bessemer.  If approved by the committee it will be discussed again during the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday at 5pm at the Court House.  If approved the Friends of the Fair contract would go into effect immediately and the current Gogebic County Fair Committee would be abolished.