County to stage Lee’s 100th anniversary fair
Showcase event to continue at the Civic Center in 2024; Parks & Rec will host festivities
The Lee County fair will go on in 2024 at the same location, the Lee Civic Center.
“The 2024 Lee County fair will happen as planned at the Lee Civic Center,” the county said in a release issued Thursday afternoon.
Lee County Parks & Recreation will host the event with assistance from a third-party vendor and volunteers.
“The Lee Board of County Commissioners has a long-standing commitment to the 4-H program, the Future Farmers of America (FFA) program and the Lee County fair,” the release states.
“As part of that commitment, the Board has never wavered that the 100th fair would happen in 2024 and will continue for years to come. Lee County assumed operation of the fair to ensure that long tradition continues uninterrupted after the previous organizer’s contract expired Sept. 30 despite efforts to negotiate a contract extension.”
The county’s parks department has the expertise to make sure the organizational transition goes smoothly, officials said.
“Lee County Parks & Recreation has extensive experience hosting large-scale special events year-round. Lee County is working with an entertainment and ride vendor — and long-time fair volunteers –to bring the classic fair experience and enhancements to the community,” the release states.
Earlier this week, the Board received an update related to the fair and Civic Center.
The discussion at the regularly scheduled Tuesday, Oct. 17, meeting included a vote to:
• Authorize staff to continue to work with 4-H partners to prepare an agenda item for a regularly scheduled Board meeting that will identify the cost of the equipment that is needed to maintain the 4-H youth activities.
• Authorize staff to negotiate with the third-party fair show vendor for Lee County to host the 2024 Annual Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair; prepare an agenda item for Board approval once terms and conditions have been determined.
To watch the discussion and video visit: youtube.com/watch.
More information about the Board’s commitment to the Civic Center and its activities as well as an interactive map, video to past Board discussions and more are available at leegov.com/civiccenter.