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County fair

It's back, bigger than ever

Monster trucks and a concert by a legendary rock band join a professional rodeo and a demolition derby as star attractions in the 11-day event.

By LOGAN NEILL
Published April 15, 2005

BROOKSVILLE - Anyone who has visited the Hernando County Fair and Youth Livestock Show the past two years can recognize that a refreshing change is slowly taking place.

The midway sports a greater variety of rides and food vendors. The outdoor arena hosts events ranging from rodeos to demolition derbies. Even the grounds are looking better, with fresh paint and ornamental plants sprucing up the half-century-old structures.

"We're not quite there yet, but we're on our way," says Deb Pedone, Hernando County Fair Association president.

Since taking over the reins of the event in 2002, Pedone has made it her mission to always keep the fair moving forward. Since then, the event has enjoyed a surge in popularity. Last year's attendance of 27,000 was the best in recent memory. The fair netted $126,000, up from the $90,000 it had earned the previous year.

Perhaps most important to Pedone is that people are going away from their fair visit believing that they have gotten their money's worth.

"They're happy. People I talk to tell me that there's actually something to do when they come to the fair now. That's why we're working so hard to make sure we keep them coming back," Pedone said.

Much of the recent success can be attributed to what Pedone calls attraction events. Three years ago, she contracted with the Professional Cowboy Association to host the fair's first pro rodeo event. The idea has proven to be a good one, with a string of sellout performances and earning the fair the distinction of providing the largest PCA event in Florida.

Last year, the fair added a demolition derby to its bill, and it will tag on a monster truck show and a concert by rock group the Marshall Tucker Band to draw an even larger audience to this year's fair, which opens its 11-day run this weekend.

Thanks to a host of fresh faces on its board of directors, the fair association has been able to take a more proactive role in its preparations, said Pedone, who also is an advertising sales representative for the St. Petersburg Times . With success has come greater financial strength, but not enough to fully reverse the long downhill slide the fair had experienced.

"We're not out of the woods yet," Pedone said. "We're limited in what we can do right now."

One of Pedone's greatest concerns is with the deteriorated condition of some of the permanent structures on the 23-acre fairgrounds in south Brooksville. Several buildings, including the livestock pavilion, have rotten wood and leaking roofs. And there isn't enough money in the fair budget to do a full makeover, Pedone said.

"Ideally, I'd like to see the whole thing bulldozed and rebuilt, but that's probably not going to happen any time soon," said Pedone. "We just have to make do the best we can."

Pedone is quick to give credit for the recent successes to the army of volunteers who show up each year to help. Organizations such as the Rotary Club, Toys For Tots, Brooksville Kiwanis and the Brooksville Woman's Club pitch in to ready the grounds beforehand as well as during the fair.

"It's helped make it the community event that it should be," Pedone said. "I think when people come to the fair now, they have a sense of ownership and pride in it."

WHAT: "Somethin' to Talk About" 2005 Hernando County Fair and Youth Livestock Show

WHEN: Daily through April 24.

WHERE: Hernando County Fairgrounds, U.S. 41 on the south side of Brooksville. Enter on Oliver Street from U.S. 41 and park on the north side of the grounds. Once those spots are filled, patrons will park in a vacant lot across U.S. 41, and sheriff's deputies will provide escorts across the highway.

ADMISSION: $5 for adults and $3 for ages 4 to 12; free for 3 and under. Special admission of $1 Monday for St. Petersburg Times Dollar Day. Parking $1 per car every day. Admission for special events, which includes admission to the fairgrounds, listed on events schedule.

INFORMATION: Call the fair office at 796-4552 or visit the fair's Web site at www.hernandocountyfair.com

[Last modified April 15, 2005, 00:49:17]