Beer and wine sales picked up Tuesday night with huge turnout at county fair

By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — Despite temperatures pushing near-90 degrees on Tuesday, the Kosciusko County Community Fair enjoyed a strong turnout with an overflow crowd attending the Xtreme Monster Madness show.

Fair-goers continued to stream into the main entrance and the grandstand at around 8:30 p.m. and the parking lot on both sides of the entrance appeared to be nearly full.

With the opening of midway rides on Tuesday, it also represented the first big night for beer and wine sales operated by the fair board. 

County fairs in Indiana are now allowed to sell beer and wine under state law, and the local fair board jumped at the chance to begin operating its own sales.

Kosciusko County appears to be the only county fair in the area that has opted to offer alcohol sales this summer since the law took effect July 1.

Five dollar beverages were sold from a trailer in a somewhat discreetly operated spot near the grandstand entrance. Beer taps were on the back side of a trailer and positioned to be out of sight.

Visitors to the fair can now take beverages onto the midway and into the grandstand, but nightly sales don’t begin until 6 p.m. 

Fair Board Treasurer Sheal Dirck said sales were slow on Monday, but much stronger on Tuesday.

The fair board has sold beer previously at other events on the fairgrounds, and Dirck said that helped them prepare for the new opportunity. 

“This is nothing new for us. We do this for other events, so it’s just new for being on the Midway,” Dirck said.

News Now Warsaw talked with several fair-goers who stood in line for a beer and were pleased with the change — especially on a warm night.

Christine England, of Warsaw, grabbed a beer before heading to the monster truck show.

She saw the new policy as a pleasant surprise.

“Look at that — does that say all beer five dollars?’ I said, referring to a sign on the beer trailer.

“Hot diggity damn, we’re having a beer tonight!” England said.

Dirck said they made the change without adding staff or security beyond what already existed.

He said he was not aware of any complaints or problems and predicted sales will remain strong Wednesday night for the second of two monster truck shows.

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