December and January have been very busy for the Boonville-Oneida County Fair Board of Directors. Our first order of business was our annual reorganizational meeting with elections of officers and appointments of committees: President David Hyatt; First Vice President Tom Reader; Second Vice President Kevin Philbrick; Secretary Beth Fox; and Treasurer Susan Alger.

Alger reported that 2024 was a successful year, with only one event rained out.

The Board of Directors for 2025 are Bill Cordts, Tim Dean, Bruce Fox, Bob Grems, Karen Philbrick, Dick Satterly, Ben Simons, Jessica Sommers, Joy Staring, Dan Stysh and Carl Trainor (board member and fair historian).

Those elected to serve on the Executive Board included Bob Grems and Jessica Sommers. Finance Committee members are Bruce Fox, Ben Simons and Dick Satterly. Entertainment Committee members are Kevin and Karen Philbrick, Bruce and Beth Fox, Tim Dean, Bob Grems, David Hyatt, Tom Reader and Susan Alger.

Planning for the 2025 Boonville-Oneida County Fair started the day after the 2024 fair closed. The Board of Directors each year look at the different activities, events and shows and discuss what works and what they can do to make it better the next year. The fair is really a small business – it costs lots of money to pay for insurance, water, sewer, electric, maintenance and upgrades to the beautiful grounds and buildings. There are also costs to bring the shows such as the petting zoo, horse rides and pig races as well as the horse, cattle and other livestock shows, truck pulls, tractor pulls and the concert.

Several board members attended the 136th Annual Convention of New York State Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention in Syracuse. At the convention there were seminars and breakout sessions to discuss with other fairs both old and new ideas that work and those that don’t so that we don’t have to “reinvent the wheel.”

We also discussed the newest technology and techniques along with challenges that will affect our fairs this year and in the future.

We also met with the owners of Coleman Amusements and it was brought to our attention by our fair historian and the Coleman family that they have been coming to the Boonville-Oneida Fair for 75 years this year!

Planning for Boonville-Oneida County Fair is a year-round project

Attending the 2025 Fair Convention were (L – R) Beth and Bruce Fox, Karen and Kevin Philbrick, Dr. Marilyn Trainor, Carl and Diane Trainor, Robin and Ben Simons, David Hyatt and Susan Alger. Photo courtesy of Beth Fox

We also discussed the 2025 schedule – including a change where there will be some scheduled times during the fair where there will be no lights or loud music for the special needs and sensory sensitive fair-goers. That’s a blessing for families like ours with two daughters with disabilities. Once details are finalized, they will be shared in our fair program as well as through social media.

There was also a seminar on the availability of grants from NYS Ag & Markets and a new seminar on something that we all struggle: succession planning, to carry on to the next generation. We are looking for people and organizations to volunteer to help us with new ideas and to carry on this great event to the next generation that has been going on since 1888.

At the January board meeting, President David Hyatt reported on convention activities as well as the final touches being put on the shows and schedules for the 2025 fair. There will be more details as the season gets closer.

We invited the new Village of Boonville Chief of Police Dave Olney to the meeting. He, along with Oneida County Sheriff Rob Maciol and the fair board, will plan together the security and safety procedures at both the fair and the Woodsmen’s Field Days as well as other events during the year.

A check was presented to CCE 4-H Youth Development Team Leader Lisa Farney from the proceeds of the Best of Oneida County Pie Auction. A total of $2,030 was given to support 4-H activities.

I want to publicly thank everyone that donated and purchased at the auction. Thank you also to Lisa Stanford and Joyce Waters for their help with organizing the event and most importantly, thank you to Dick LaClair, our famous auctioneer.

Most of all, the board wants to thank the volunteers – without them we could not operate the Great Boonville-Oneida County Fair.

by Farmer Ben Simons