The state of the Alaska State Fair Fair officials look ahead after financial hit in 2017

PALMER — The Alaska State Fair lost $500,000 last year. But fair officials are looking ahead, and ASF Director of Marketing Director Dean Phipps is still hopeful the fair that started over 80 years ago still has a future to look forward to.

“I don’t think I’m worried about its future,” Phipps said.

When asked about the fair’s budget and the loss of revenue in 2017, Phipps said that he tried “not to think about the past” and wanted to move forward.

“There’s no definitive answer,” Phipps said.

He said that the Alaskan economy “wasn’t doing very good last year” and that played a role in their financial loss as well. He inferred that less people had the money to go to the fair last year.

The weather wasn’t too great last year, he noted, saying that probably played a small role as well but he also noted how amazed he was by the great many Alaskans are often undeterred by the rain and troop on through the fair anyway.

He insisted that the financial loss was a “wake up call” that called the staff to rise to the occasion, a challenge to overcome. He said that the staff’s main goal after the loss was to work hard at the things within their control, such as concert sales, adding more things to do and marketing. Phipps reiterated that fair staff can’t fret about the things outside their control like the economy or bad weather.

“Here’s the thing that matters, if there wasn’t a really good economy, if there wasn’t any concerts- this fair started by people who are passionate about agriculture, people passionate about having a celebration at the end of the harvest season, people who are proud of their pies or the flowers and the things like that- that’s what started this fair and those things are going to continue,” Phipps said.

He said that the two most significant things they’ve done to tackle this financial challenges were: first, concert revenue and second, changing and adapting while holding onto their traditional values.

“A lot of people talk about the Fair being the same every year,” Phipps said. “We have a lot of new things.”

Some of the recent additions to the ASF include adding digital payment services, so now people can buy tickets and parking online and have their phone scanned at the gate, both military and first responders got their own day with $5 admission, new bathrooms by the Dena’ People’s Stage, and the return of the ASF Queen Pageant.

When looking at the changes, Phipps said that his teams always ask themselves, “is it the change people want,” “does it make sense,” and does it make everyone’s experience better?”

About two-thirds loss in 2017 was due to poor ticket performance for the concerts last year, Phipps said. The overall attendance was also down last year so that certainly played an important role in the fair’s financial loss. Concert tickets, alcohol sales, vendor participation, and overall attendance are among the chief financial factors the Fair has to consider every year. The concert revenue seems to be the biggest factor, especially when you consider another source of revenue that comes with it, alcohol sales. If less people are buying tickets, then there clearly will be less people there to buy beer or wine at a show.

“We’ve really put a lot of effort into the concerts,” Phipps said.

Phipps said that for the fair to prosper, it needs to balance between an open mind for change and a sturdy hand their old, colonial heart filled old family-values as they move forward.

“As long as we do that, I think we will prosper,” Phipps said. “Change is hard but change is key, not just to survival but to success,” Phipps said. “I see people rising up, taking on challenges.”

The ASF is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and Phipps said that it invests money back into the community through donations. The ASF recently donated funds to the Colony High School marching band for their upcoming trip around Europe. He said that the ASF is “woven” into the community.

“It’s not over ‘til it’s over!” Phipps said.

One fair-goer, Jessica Boe was here for her daughter Denali’s JR. Rodeo races. The rodeo is one of the many annual events that bring troves of people into the fairgrounds.

“I wasn’t aware of any financial loss of the fair but I hope it continues. I know a lot of people look forward to it every year!” Boe said.