Sioux Center, Iowa — The City of Sioux Center is feeling a crunch on its northeast side, and the neighborhood is changing fast. That means the fairgrounds needs to move.
The City of Sioux Center owns the property that the fair has been using since the early 1970s and they have given the fair advanced notice that in the future, they’d like their property back, as the usage of the area has changed. The fairgrounds area is part of Open Space Park, which is actually a half-mile wide and almost that long, and includes many facilities including the All-Seasons Center, the Tsunami Water Park, the football field and softball field complexes, and the area where the new turf facility is being planned, as well as the fairgrounds.
This week, the Sioux County Board of Supervisors approved a million dollars in funding to move the fairgrounds. The idea had been to attempt to co-locate it with the new Dordt Agriculture Stewardship Center north of Sioux Center, but now there’s another plan.
The old Sioux Center Airport, just west of Highway 75 near Carmel seems to be where the fair is now headed. The property is owned at this time by the City of Sioux Center, but an agreement will need to be reached with the fair board, the Sioux Center Saddle Club, and the City in regard to the purchase of the property.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting this week, Supervisor Bloemendaal stated that the county needs to support the Fair and much of the economy in Sioux County ties to agriculture, and having 4-H programs builds character in kids and is a positive thing. He also said he believes the proposed location of the Fair is good as it is visible from the highway and would enhance the event.
The one million dollars in funding was moved by Supervisor Vande Weerd and supported by Bloemendaal. It passed on a unanimous vote.
This year’s (2022) fair will still be at the old fairgrounds in northeast Sioux Center.
