Grant funds grandstand expansion at fair

Rob Dump Randolph Times

HARTINGTON – The Cedar County Fair has gained a reputation in the last few years for offering quality family entertainment.

That reputation helped the Cedar County Ag Society earn a $50,000 Hometown Grant from T-Mobile.

The funds will help the Fair Board improve and expand the grandstand area at the fairgrounds.

This will include the purchase of new permanent bleachers and making Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades to the venue’s seating, to increase accessibility, safety and inclusivity.

“We are very grateful for T-Mobile's support for our Grandstand expansion and wheelchair seating for our county fairgrounds,” said Cedar County Fair Board President Greg Heine.

Katy Van Noy, T-Mobile rural marketing director, made the check presentation last week.

'Through Hometown Grants, people in communities nationwide are kickstarting projects that make a real difference and help their towns thrive,' she said..

Since launching its five-year commitment to small towns in April 2021, T-Mobile has awarded 300 communities across 47 states more than $13 million in funding, she said.

Each quarter, T-Mobile awards 25 Hometown Grants to small towns with populations of 50,000 or less.

Heine said the grant will help make the grandstand area an even better place to watch concerts.

In recent years, Cedar County Fair has become known as having some of the best performers on the Fair circuit, routinely packing the grandstand area, he said.

Current plans call for moving the stage back to allow for more seating, he said. When the grandstand additions and improvements are complete, the facility should easily be able to hold 4,800 people, he said. The Fair Board is also working on expanding parking and campground sites, he said.

Heine said the Ag Society is constantly working to make improvements at the Cedar County Fairgrounds.

The Fair Board is nearing the completion of a five-year improvement plan they launched in 2019, Heine said.

That plan called for the improvement of the livestock show arena and the livestock building. Improvements were also made to the rodeo grounds, adding more bucking chutes, building a new announcer's stand and increasing the size of the show arena.

The Fair Board completed a flag project two years ago, installing a 120-foot flagpole in the center of the midway area of the fairgrounds. Heine believes the Cedar County Fairgrounds flagpole is the second tallest flagpole in Nebraska second only to one at Sydney.

'All of these projects came together because a lot of support from the community,' Heine said. 'None of these projects are possible without the help of outside support.'

Heine said his fellow Fair Board members should also be recognized for the 'countless hours they put in. We do this all for fun. It takes a great Fair Board, but it also takes a great community to make these projects go.'

Heine said the campground expansion is possible because the Fair Board is developing three acres of land on the east of the creek bordering the fairgounds.

A walking bridge is being installed to connect the campgrounds to the main fairgounds area. It is hoped this will all be ready before this year's fair, he said.