About the Webster County
Fairgrounds
The Webster County Fair and Webster County Fairgrounds, owned and operated by the Webster County Agricultural Association and Webster County Fair Board, is a non-profit 501c5 organization.
Our volunteer Board of Directors mission is to promote agricultural and domestic science within the public that help improve agriculture amongst the community. This is done by providing the grounds and facilities for our youth programs such as 4-H and FFA to ultimately exhibit their efforts during our annual county fair. The Board works each year to put on a fair at the fairgrounds that our youth and community can be proud of.
To accomplish this...
The Fair Board rents out the facilities, gets sponsorships and promotes various events. The funds from these efforts along with grants and donations obtained from the Webster County Fair Foundation (a non-profit, 501c3 volunteer organization), are then fully reinvested in maintaining and improving the fairgrounds and hosting the annual county fair.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CORY KRUG
President
AMANDA WIRT
Secretary
DEB KRUG
Rentals
LOGAN KLINGSTON
Member
AUSTIN ELLIS
Vice President
PATTY STRUNK
Flea Market Director
VIRGINIA DORWEILER
Director
JUSTIN ALPHS
Member
HEATHER STEWART
Fair Manager
KAREN ANDERSON
Events/ Foundation
AMANDA CONDON
Foundation President
SARA SCHARF
Member
LORRIE GRADY
Treasurer
SCOTT ANDERSON
Director
BRIAN LONG
Member
RON WEBB
Grounds Keeper
THE RICH HISTORY OF OUR COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
The rich history of our county fairgrounds traces back to the vibrant legacy of the Exposition Grounds, a bustling hub boasting grand buildings and a thrilling quarter-mile race track.
In the winds of change, 1930 marked a pivotal moment as the grounds were put up for sale. Despite the Webster County Farm Bureau, champions of the Extension Service and 4-H until a federal mandate separated them in 1954, opting against purchasing the land, its spirit endured. Portions of this historic site found new life as residential quarters, commercial spaces, and a verdant city park with an inviting swimming pool.
Yet, the heartbeat of our county fair faltered for a time. Among various locales, the 4-H Achievement Show found a temporary home at the Enos Airport, a testament to resilience and adaptability.
Hope soared anew in 1946 when the Fort Dodge Betterment Foundation bestowed 11.5 acres, a gift that paved the way for a purpose-built fairgrounds. Through community grit, fundraising efforts, and generous donations of labor and materials, the inaugural county fair unfurled its banners at the western edge of Fort Dodge in 1949. The crowning jewels, an auditorium lovingly crafted by volunteers, and completed in 1951, became enduring symbols of collective endeavor.
In 1970, the landscape of possibility shifted once more when Iowa Central Community College, formerly Fort Dodge Junior College, sought to expand its footprint. Though the Extension Service hesitated to part ways, recognizing the imperative of progress, a compromise was struck. The college would acquire the grounds, provided they met the replacement cost and allowed fair activities to continue for three years as new grounds took shape. Thus, in 1971, 40 acres of promise, nestled 2.5 miles south of RJ 20 & 169, found a new steward in the form of Alice Brodsack.
With unwavering determination, the vision unfolded. In 1972, the Auditorium and Show Barn rose from the earth, testaments to community unity and forward momentum. And in the following year, the inaugural fair at the present grounds marked a triumphant new chapter. Amongst the echoes of yesteryear, five original pole barns found new homes, three of which stand proudly today, their journey a testament to perseverance. Overcoming logistical hurdles, they traversed several trips, each barn halved to fit upon the low-boy truck, guided by a spirit of innovation through the byways of Moorland, spurred onward by the beacon of progress.
