Easy payment options generating more fair attendees

MCP’s coverage of the 78th Western Michigan Fair is brought to you through the generous support of FloraCraft of Ludington, www.FloraCraft.com and Squires Family Chiropractic, 414 E. U.S. 10, Scottville; 231-757-3356; www.drlewissquires.com.

The fair will be held Tuesday, Aug. 5 through Saturday, Aug. 9 at the Mason County Fairgrounds on U.S. 10 east of Ludington. 

By Allison Scarbrough. OCP Editor.

LUDINGTON — For the first time in the Western Michigan Fair’s 76-year history, fair goers can use Pay Pal to purchase a pre-sale ticket for a Grandstand event.

Super Kickers Rodeo Production, based in Paris Mich., will provide action-packed entertainment Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m. in the Grandstand. The rodeo is a new event for this year’s fair, and it is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

The Pay Pal online payment option is being used for the rodeo this year, said Rebecca Berringer, executive director of the Western Michigan Fair Association. Instead of one event, fair organizers are planning to use the easy payment option for all five Grandstand events next year, said Berringer. “We’re testing the waters this year. We want to continue this in the future. People have asked for it in the past. We’ve have a lot of purchases from out-of-state and out-of-the-area (fair goers).

Out of 1,500 grandstand seats available, 50 tickets had been sold with Pay Pal, July 22. Organizers recently extended the deadline to buy pre-sale tickets from July 25 to Aug. 3, she said.

Pre-sales have been taking place at Friday Night Live concerts in downtown Ludington, and customers can pay with cash or credit card, Berringer said. “We’ve had good reception. This is good publicity,” she said of the Friday Night Live appearances. “We can educate people about 4-H.”

All fair information and stories can be accessed in the menu underneath the Mason County Press masthead at www.MasonCountyPress.com. Also, for more information, visit the fair’s Facebook page: Facebook.com/masoncountyfairgrounds or website: masoncountyfairgrounds.com