Originating as a street fair in the early 1900’s, the Central Wisconsin State Fair Association formally began when 500 memberships were sold at $10 each to finance the conversion of the horse driving park to the site of the annual agricultural exposition.
“The Fairgrounds have been here since the 1800’s but were operated by the Marshfield Driving Park Association, which was the predecessor to the Central Wisconsin State Fair,” explained Executive Director Adam Fischer. “The City of Marshfield did have a street Fair in 1902, but in 1903 the Central Wisconsin State Fair was started to meet the increasing demands for a regional Fair along with meeting the needs of the agricultural community.”
He added that the Round Barn, constructed in 1916, was the first building erected on the current facility, and it remains the most famous of the Fair’s structures.
Land purchases in 1949 and 1952 brought the size of the fairgrounds to 66 acres, and a 1978 citywide advisory referendum showed overwhelming support of retaining the land for fair use.
Since 1983, many improvements have been made in the fairgrounds through partnerships between the City of Marshfield, Wood County, and The Fair Association- all under supervision of the Fair Commission. These include new restrooms, round barn renovations, new animal barns, a youth building, a milk house, a 4-H building, and a grandstand renovation.
“The Central Wisconsin State Fair has continued to evolve throughout the years from a Fair with no buildings to having almost two dozen structures on the fairgrounds,” said Fischer, adding that the Fair’s rich history continues into today.
“The Central Wisconsin State Fair looks forward to continuing to provide a tradition of excellence by offering people a place to come and experience agricultural education, music, games, rides and so much more,” he said.
The 2016 Central Wisconsin State Fair begins on August 31. Check back for more articles on this great local event!
