ASHLAND – Ray Tenters and his wife were walking the midway at the Ashland County Fair when they heard a voice over the loudspeaker saying, “The beer garden is now open.”
They were delighted.
The Tenters, like many fairgoers this week, had no idea beer would be served on the grounds. Allowing beer during fair week is a first for the Ashland County Fairgrounds, manager Steve Englet said.
The couple said they came down from Lorain County after searching on the internet to see if any fairs were going on in the area this week.
After finding they could get in at a discounted rate for senior day, discovering the beer garden and noting the wide range of shows, vendors and activities, the Tenters said they wished their own county’s fair was more like Ashland’s.
“It’s truly a nice fair,” Ray said.
Volunteers from Ashland Young Professionals are staffing the beer garden, located in a tent on the east side of the grandstand. The Budweiser brand beers served in the tent may be consumed only in the tent or the grandstand.
Englet said fair staff and board members were excited to try what he described as a concept new to the Ashland County Fair, but not to the fairgrounds or to county fairs throughout Ohio.
“It might be new to some people, and I know a few years ago when Richland County brought it in there was a little bit of public backlash and stuff from it,” Englet said. “The truth is there are 88 county fairs (in Ohio) and I think 35 of them have beer. Some have had it for 100 years.”
The Ashland fairgrounds previously has allowed alcohol sales at motorcycle races, Englet said, and the beer garden has been a successful part of Ashland Balloonfest and area softball tournaments.
Ashland Young Professionals president Jake Coffy said when fair organizers approached his organization about sponsoring the beer garden, AYP happily agreed.
“It’s exciting to be part of something that’s new, fresh and being introduced to the area,” Coffy said. “We want to be a part of what’s progressive here in Ashland. We’re building what we want to see here.”
The beer garden also serves as a fundraiser to help sustain AYP, Coffy said. The organization will receive a portion of proceeds from beer sales, as well as any tips collected throughout the week.
Coffy said he has worked most shifts and has noticed a positive energy surrounding the tent.
“One person had a pretty negative response, but it’s a majority positive,” Coffy said. “People are excited that it’s here and available to the public.”
Englet emphasized the fairgrounds will not tolerate drunkenness or disorderly conduct.
“We’re not trying to promote alcoholism or anything like that,” Englet said. “You’d have to have a pocketful of money to get drunk at our fair because it’s $5 a beer.”
Coffy said the volunteer servers have been instructed not to serve more than four beers to any individual person.
