Inside look: Boone Co. gets ready for the largest fair in the stateline

BOONE COUNTY, Ill. (WTVO) — Officials in charge of bringing the Boone County fair to life gave eyewitness news an inside look three weeks before the largest fair in the stateline is open to the public.

“This is crunch time,” Boone County Fair Advertisement Director Tom Ratcliffe.

The director wants to make sure the grounds look as beautiful as they can.

“You gotta keep up on that infrastructure and so forth, because eventually things wear out,” Ratcliffe explained.

Volunteers have also joined in, making several improvements, including gates, paved streets and a new pony barn.

“We all want the fair, the Boone County Fair, to be the best that it can be,” Ratcliffe continued. And, we want to make it safer, more comfortable for our goers and safer for the exhibitors, the animals, and so forth.”

Ratcliffe said his job is strenuous, but creating an environment that the public wants to be a part of is worth it.

“Yeah, [it is] challenging,” Ratcliffe said. “Some of us are not as young as we used to be, so it’s even more challenging. But we love the fair. So we’re here and we’re doing it.”

“We just want to make it safe and easy for people. It’s a great community event, and we’re delighted to be a part of it,” Ratcliffe concluded.