A trip to the fair doesn’t come with inexpensive thrills or eats

By KATIE SEMINARA

A day of family fun won’t come cheap, fairgoers say.

CANFIELD — It was only 11:30 a.m., and the Coggins family had already spent $60 on Canfield Fair entrance fees and ride wristbands.

Juanita and Craig Coggins’ three kids got in free, and that’s why they came to the fairgrounds on Thursday, said Juanita, of Canfield.

As the day progressed, she estimated spending more money on corn dogs, french fries and cotton candy, plus $30 on ride wristbands for her and her husband.

Together that would total upwards of an additional $65.

“We went to Geauga Lake two years ago and spent the same amount there as we do at the fair,” Juanita said, adding the whole family purchased a year membership to the Great Lakes Science Center for only $75.

If three kids seems expensive, Kris Wolford, of North Lima, spent even more on Thursday.

The mother of four said she used to bring her kids out to the fair every day, but they can no longer afford more than one trip.

“This year we’re only coming on one day,” Wolford said. “We’ll be here from open to close.”

Between the all-day ride passes, elephant ears, fried egg sandwiches and the popular fair fries, she said she expects to spend almost $200.

Ed Grim guessed he’d spend $100 on his family, including his wife and three kids. But as he started adding up costs for food, rides, toys and games, the number quickly changed to $150.

“I brought almost $400, and I hope that gets me through the day,” Grim, of Homeworth, said. He was laughing, although he’s likely to spent more than he intended.

While he watched Neil, 9, and Morgan, 6, enjoy pony rides that cost him $6, he said he’ll spend $20 to $40 on a toy tractor for 1-year-old Owen.

Although Grim plans to spend quite a bit, some people have been known to spend double on one fair game.

Megan Carey, 22, has been operating a variety of game booths since she can remember and said someone spent $300 at one time.

“They do it to keep getting the bigger prizes,” she said.

Families aren’t the only fairgoers spending good sums of money.

Food vendors spend $35 per foot to rent out a no-less-than-20-foot space.

Owner of The Sugar Shack, Dave Dinsio, of Salem, said he’ll spend $1,000 on electric and water over the course of the six-day fair.

He also said he buys tickets for his employees because the fair only provides one pass per booth — each additional employee ticket is $3.

Depending on attendance, the apple dumpling stand will go through 10 buckets of ice cream, costing $18 each.

Dinsio couldn’t say exactly how many cases of apples are used, but each case costs $38.

“If the weather’s right, the weekend will make money,” said Dinsio, who has had a booth at the fair for 15 years.

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