Lorain County Fair attendees will see some big changes, but they will have to wait another year for those changes to become a reality.
Next year, the 179th Lorain County Fair, located at 23000 Fairgrounds Road in Wellington, will feature three new buildings that will not only significantly enhance the look of the fair, but also change how it operates throughout the region and year-round.
At a recent Lorain County Port Authority board meeting, members approved a loan to allow the Lorain County Fair Board to move forward with the nearly $12 million, multi-site project.
The fair will receive a new 5,000-square-foot facility with offices and restrooms, as well as versatile floor plans to host a variety of events such as weddings, sporting events, dealer shows, animal wrestling, and more.
Construction of this facility, already called the Ross Exposition Center, will begin after the conclusion of the 2024 Lorain County Fair.
The construction company Janotta & Herner was selected for the project, and Ross Environmental Services in Wellington acquired the naming rights for $4 million.
A new covered riding arena is also being built. This is a competition-sized covered outdoor arena for shows and as a venue for equestrian events.
Finally, a new cattle barn will replace three of the current older barns.
The improvements are part of the fair’s “Forever” initiative, through which the fair’s board of directors aims to raise capital and help make the fairgrounds a venue for various events throughout the year.
“We couldn’t have done it without the team and support of the community, businesses and government,” said John Piwinski, director of the Lorain County Fair Board. “The county commissioners and the Lorain County Port Authority have been huge supporters of these improvement and expansion projects.”
“Ross in particular has been very supportive over the years and these buildings are truly transformative. We want to use the fairgrounds for more than just one week a year.
“We want to create a sustainable situation in which we can continue to offer events and programs for future generations. There really won’t be anything like this in the region, and this should bring a nice economic boost to the region.”
Piwinski said the fair’s Forever initiative continues to accept donations and is actively seeking them.
He added that the goal of the initiative is to “exceed the goal” as he and the board want to see many updates, modernizations and other improvements at the fairgrounds.
“This will continue to position the fair as a tourist attraction and an extension of the year-round offering, and will provide additional funding to support the core mission of youth participation, education and leadership,” Piwinski said. “It also stabilizes our revenue streams as we are no longer completely dependent on the fair week.”
In addition to the funds received from Ross Environmental Services, Fair’s Forever received $1.5 million from the Lorain County Agricultural Society, $1.5 million from the Lorain County Commissioners, and was able to raise an additional $500,000 from individual board members and other community supporters.
