Thursday, August 20, 2009
Rooster Report 2009 - Issue 2
CHECK OUT OUR BRAND NEW WEBSITE!
If you haven’t visited www.CanfieldFair.com recently, you’re in for surprise. Our website has been given a completely new look and is filled with information you’ll want to know, including daily schedules, Fair facts and history, books and registration materials for exhibitors, and a list of blue-ribbon winners in a variety of categories.
WE WANT YOUR “FAIR STORIES”
Share your experiences at the Canfield Fair and what it has meant to you — anything from long-ago memories from your childhood to touching or amusing incidents from more recent times. Share “family stories” from the Fair, too, that have been passed down through the years. (Our favorite so far is the one about “Gram’s” wig flying off on the Himalaya ride!) Email them to us at canfieldfair@yahoo.com — then look for them on our website.
WE WANT YOUR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS, TOO!
What says “Canfield Fair” better than photos of people enjoying themselves — whether it’s young people laughing on a ride or older folks sitting quietly on a bench and talking. Those kinds of photos, and everything in between, are what we’re looking for. You’re encouraged to Email photos of Fairs past (you can even scan them if they’re pre-digital ones!) to us at canfieldfair@yahoo.com. They just may show up on our website and on the Fair’s Flickr page. You can also share your Fair videos with us. Call (330) 782-8061 and ask for Mike McKay.
FOLLOW THE FAIR ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
You can keep up with the latest news and activities by becoming a Fan or Friend of the Fair on Facebook. Updates will be provided on a daily basis. For even more instantaneous updates, catch the Fair buzz on our Twitter page.
VINDY EDITOR TODD FRANKO IS CELEBRITY JUDGE
Judging for the Canfield Fair’s many competitions — everything from animals and artwork to preserves and even rooster crowing — normally takes place behind the scenes. But the public will have a rare opportunity to witness the process from start to finish at the “One-Day Special Event” culinary competition. Vindicator editor Todd Franko will serve as a celebrity judge as the experts determine the blue-ribbon winners for a spinach dish. Catch the action Friday, September 9 at the Fruit, Hay and Grain Building (#26).
THE FAIR BY THE NUMBERS
As the largest county fair in the state of Ohio, the Canfield Fair racks up some pretty impressive statistics. We’ll be sharing more with you in future E-newsletters and on our website as the Fair draws closer to opening day, but here’s a start: the Fair comprises 178 acres of midways and 175 acres of parking. There are 371 concessions this year. And consider a Fair favorite, the lemon shake-up. Last year, over 1,100 cases of lemons were used. That’s 154,000 lemons, and since each shake-up uses half a lemon, over 308,000 were sold at the 2008 fair!
WHO’S BEEN COMING TO THE FAIR THE LONGEST?
If you think it’s you or someone from your family, we want to hear about it. We’re looking for the person who can positively identify the earliest year in which he or she attended the Fair. We’d also love to find the person who’s been coming for the most consecutive years without ever missing a Canfield Fair. Send your nominations to canfieldfair@yahoo.com, and we’ll look into it.
If you haven’t visited www.CanfieldFair.com recently, you’re in for surprise. Our website has been given a completely new look and is filled with information you’ll want to know, including daily schedules, Fair facts and history, books and registration materials for exhibitors, and a list of blue-ribbon winners in a variety of categories.
WE WANT YOUR “FAIR STORIES”
Share your experiences at the Canfield Fair and what it has meant to you — anything from long-ago memories from your childhood to touching or amusing incidents from more recent times. Share “family stories” from the Fair, too, that have been passed down through the years. (Our favorite so far is the one about “Gram’s” wig flying off on the Himalaya ride!) Email them to us at canfieldfair@yahoo.com — then look for them on our website.
WE WANT YOUR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS, TOO!
What says “Canfield Fair” better than photos of people enjoying themselves — whether it’s young people laughing on a ride or older folks sitting quietly on a bench and talking. Those kinds of photos, and everything in between, are what we’re looking for. You’re encouraged to Email photos of Fairs past (you can even scan them if they’re pre-digital ones!) to us at canfieldfair@yahoo.com. They just may show up on our website and on the Fair’s Flickr page. You can also share your Fair videos with us. Call (330) 782-8061 and ask for Mike McKay.
FOLLOW THE FAIR ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
You can keep up with the latest news and activities by becoming a Fan or Friend of the Fair on Facebook. Updates will be provided on a daily basis. For even more instantaneous updates, catch the Fair buzz on our Twitter page.
VINDY EDITOR TODD FRANKO IS CELEBRITY JUDGE
Judging for the Canfield Fair’s many competitions — everything from animals and artwork to preserves and even rooster crowing — normally takes place behind the scenes. But the public will have a rare opportunity to witness the process from start to finish at the “One-Day Special Event” culinary competition. Vindicator editor Todd Franko will serve as a celebrity judge as the experts determine the blue-ribbon winners for a spinach dish. Catch the action Friday, September 9 at the Fruit, Hay and Grain Building (#26).
THE FAIR BY THE NUMBERS
As the largest county fair in the state of Ohio, the Canfield Fair racks up some pretty impressive statistics. We’ll be sharing more with you in future E-newsletters and on our website as the Fair draws closer to opening day, but here’s a start: the Fair comprises 178 acres of midways and 175 acres of parking. There are 371 concessions this year. And consider a Fair favorite, the lemon shake-up. Last year, over 1,100 cases of lemons were used. That’s 154,000 lemons, and since each shake-up uses half a lemon, over 308,000 were sold at the 2008 fair!
WHO’S BEEN COMING TO THE FAIR THE LONGEST?
If you think it’s you or someone from your family, we want to hear about it. We’re looking for the person who can positively identify the earliest year in which he or she attended the Fair. We’d also love to find the person who’s been coming for the most consecutive years without ever missing a Canfield Fair. Send your nominations to canfieldfair@yahoo.com, and we’ll look into it.
How the 163-Year-Old Canfield Fair Is Connecting With Young People
Using ePower and social media, the Fair is creating an online community.
“I remember when my friend ate 30 caramel apples at the Fair.” said Matt Baird. “Has to be a record.” Well, that would have been a sight to see (OK, at least until the friend got sick) — but it took place many years ago, and the only people who saw it were right there at the time.
NOW EVERYONE CAN BE THERE
If that “record-setting” event took place at the 2009 Canfield Fair, Matt could have taken a picture or video with his cell phone and sent it to the Fair’s website. Then it could have viewed by thousands of viewers on Flickr, YouTube and Facebook.
The Fair might have even sent out a Tweet to let its followers know they should look for the video or photo. Yes, the Canfield Fair is on Twitter. What’s going on?
TRADITION EXTENDED WITH NEW MEDIA
There are not many events that are more steeped in tradition than the Canfield Fair, but the Fair’s Board of Directors wanted to keep those traditions expanding among the younger generations. Their first step, as Farris recommended, was a survey — an ONLINE survey, taken this spring.
The Fair received hundreds of responses, with many great comments and lots of support. The best things about the Fair? The vast majority of responses listed family, friends, fun and food. Many mentioned planning family and friend reunions around the fair. And the food was mentioned over and over.
MESSAGE IMPORTANT/MEDIA CRITICAL
What survey respondents said was important, but the medium they used to say it was even more important. Additional research showed that most of the Fair’s audience can be, and wants to be, reached ONLINE. A surprising percentage of online responses came from people over 70. And many of the younger audience connect with other events like concerts online via social media. So why not the Fair?
E-POWER WORKS FOR THE FAIR
The Fair may have an exhibit of steam-powered tractors on the Fairgrounds, but it knows the advantages of ePower as well. It’s been using eCommerce for years to sell concert tickets and gate passes.
Farris is working with the Fair to help it use other ePower assets. The first edition of its new eNewsletter (The Rooster Report) went out last month. And the new website we created for the fair (www.CanfieldFair.com) features eVideos as well.
SOCIAL MEDIA ADDED TO MIX
To connect with the younger generation, we created Flickr, YouTube and Facebook pages for the Fair. There’s not much on them now, but visitors are being asked to send their personal photos, videos and “Fair Stories” in so everyone can view them during and long after the Fair. eVideo interviews shot during the Fair will be posted on YouTube within hours.
YOUR ORGANIZATION CAN CONNECT, TOO
The Fair is smart to be using ePower and social media to connect with current and future customers. They’re communicating the way their customers want them to communicate, and creating an “online community” of fans.
You can connect with your company’s or organization’s fans, too. You don’t have to eat 30 carmel apples and put the video on YouTube. But then again, if you want to try for 31….
Stay Tuned and Stay Smart.
“I remember when my friend ate 30 caramel apples at the Fair.” said Matt Baird. “Has to be a record.” Well, that would have been a sight to see (OK, at least until the friend got sick) — but it took place many years ago, and the only people who saw it were right there at the time.
NOW EVERYONE CAN BE THERE
If that “record-setting” event took place at the 2009 Canfield Fair, Matt could have taken a picture or video with his cell phone and sent it to the Fair’s website. Then it could have viewed by thousands of viewers on Flickr, YouTube and Facebook.
The Fair might have even sent out a Tweet to let its followers know they should look for the video or photo. Yes, the Canfield Fair is on Twitter. What’s going on?
TRADITION EXTENDED WITH NEW MEDIA
There are not many events that are more steeped in tradition than the Canfield Fair, but the Fair’s Board of Directors wanted to keep those traditions expanding among the younger generations. Their first step, as Farris recommended, was a survey — an ONLINE survey, taken this spring.
The Fair received hundreds of responses, with many great comments and lots of support. The best things about the Fair? The vast majority of responses listed family, friends, fun and food. Many mentioned planning family and friend reunions around the fair. And the food was mentioned over and over.
MESSAGE IMPORTANT/MEDIA CRITICAL
What survey respondents said was important, but the medium they used to say it was even more important. Additional research showed that most of the Fair’s audience can be, and wants to be, reached ONLINE. A surprising percentage of online responses came from people over 70. And many of the younger audience connect with other events like concerts online via social media. So why not the Fair?
E-POWER WORKS FOR THE FAIR
The Fair may have an exhibit of steam-powered tractors on the Fairgrounds, but it knows the advantages of ePower as well. It’s been using eCommerce for years to sell concert tickets and gate passes.
Farris is working with the Fair to help it use other ePower assets. The first edition of its new eNewsletter (The Rooster Report) went out last month. And the new website we created for the fair (www.CanfieldFair.com) features eVideos as well.
SOCIAL MEDIA ADDED TO MIX
To connect with the younger generation, we created Flickr, YouTube and Facebook pages for the Fair. There’s not much on them now, but visitors are being asked to send their personal photos, videos and “Fair Stories” in so everyone can view them during and long after the Fair. eVideo interviews shot during the Fair will be posted on YouTube within hours.
YOUR ORGANIZATION CAN CONNECT, TOO
The Fair is smart to be using ePower and social media to connect with current and future customers. They’re communicating the way their customers want them to communicate, and creating an “online community” of fans.
You can connect with your company’s or organization’s fans, too. You don’t have to eat 30 carmel apples and put the video on YouTube. But then again, if you want to try for 31….
Stay Tuned and Stay Smart.
Connect with your customer base with ePower.
Visit our website or call to learn more.
Visit our website or call to learn more.
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