Beer sales profitable at Richland County Fair, despite critics

MANSFIELD, Ohio (AP) — Officials say an Ohio county fair’s first-ever beer sales were profitable and problem-free, despite criticism.

Religious leaders and others had objected to the beer garden that was part of this year’s Richland County Fair. Its weeklong run ended Saturday in north-central Ohio.

Fair manager Dean Wells tells the News Journal of Mansfield that the beer concession made a net profit of about $6,000. He says there were no incidents related to the beer sales.

A group called the Richland Community Family Coalition led opposition to the beer sales, thought to be a first in the fair’s 160-year history. Coalition spokesman Ben Mutti says several businesses won’t sponsor next year’s fair over the issue.

Wells says the fair benefited from free publicity over the controversy.