IAFE News IAFE Offers Free Online Resource Library: New
Documents Added Monthly Do you ever find yourself wondering what other Fairs are doing? What programs, non-fair events, or sponsor- ship packages are making other Fairs successful? The IAFE Online Library includes documents on these topics and more, with many new items added each month. To access the IAFE Online Library, simply go to
www.fairsandexpos.com and click “Site Login” to sign in (contact the IAFE office at 800/516-0313 if you don’t know your login information). Once you are logged in, click on “Library” at the top of the home page. The IAFE Library includes many hot topics that can di-
rectly impact Fairs, such as the use of electronic ciga- rettes. The Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, Calif., has developed a short, one-page, no smoking policy which clearly outlines the use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products on the grounds. Go to the IAFE Library to access this document and borrow from it to make one of your own. Have you ever considered developing a policy/job de-
scription for your board members? The Volusia County Fair in DeLand, FL developed a policy that outlines board members’ duties and expectations. If your Fair is volun- teer-based, the IAFE Online Library could be useful in solidifying expectations of board members. IAFE the Network encourages the sharing of ideas. The
Online Resource Library is a perfect place for your Fair to gain new ideas about a variety of topics and is one of many benefits available to IAFE members.
IAFE Convention Registration Opens July 1 Registration for the IAFE Annual Convention, to be held
Dec. 7-11 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev., opens July 1 at
www.fairsandexpos.com. Register early to re- ceive the best pricing of $349 for delegates and $174 for spouses. Check the IAFE website often for updated Con- vention information.
What is Your Fair Doing to Make a Dif- ference?
Get a copy of the entry
form at www,
fairsandexpos.com and submit the story of how your Fair is “Seeding
Change,” making a difference in your community, in the lives of your guests and/or participants. All stories should be sent to the IAFE Office (see instructions)
by November 7, 2014. From all stories submitted, five Fairs will be selected and each
will receive a $1,000 grant from Etix (
www.etix.com) to be utilized toward enhancing the “Seeding Change” project submitted. One Fair from each of the five divisions of attendance will be selected.
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Building Relationships in Your Community
By Vicki Chouris, CFE, South Florida Fair Once upon a time, a common question in our area
was “when is the Fair coming back to town”? This question was always troubling because it was evident people did not realize “the Fair” is part of the commu- nity all year long. To change that type of thinking, we decided some work really needed to be done to help our community realize we are an important part of our area and contribute to the economy just as any other business. Thus, under the guidance of our current Chair of our Board, a community outreach committee was developed. The goal of this committee was twofold. The first was
to make sure our Board composition was inclusive of all the diverse peoples of South Florida. We wanted to be sure we were marketing our Fair and other special events effectively to reach the diverse audience. The second goal was to educate our community as to “who” the Fair is and what our mission is all about.
In
order to accomplish this, we knew we needed to have a presence at the many business and community func- tions in our area. We first targeted outreach to several chambers. We joined the Hispanic Chamber, the Black Chamber, and the Women’s Chamber as well as the various regional chambers. In addition to attending chamber events, we organized a Tri Chamber reception at our Fairgrounds inviting the members of each of these Chambers to a networking mixer held during the Fair. We hold the event on a weeknight and offer free admission to the attendees. Our sponsorship team se- cures an area restaurant to underwrite the food we pro- vide so there is minimal cost to the Fair. We have had 3 years of successful attendance with approximately 150 people attending the event annually. Many of the first time attendees to the mixer tell us they have never been to the Fair, but they are now going to attend with their families and friends. Another way we work to make sure people know the
Fair is part of the community is by supporting area non- profits either through serving on boards, sponsoring events or simply putting a basket in their fundraising silent auctions. Our Fair staff serves on boards such as the Palm Beach State College Foundation, the L.E.A.F. Association (Law Enforcement Assistance Fund), Lead- ership Palm Beach County, and Discover Palm Beach County – our tourism agency. Many of our Board mem- bers are community leaders that also serve on numer- ous boards in addition to the Fair board. We are proud that they are an extension of our Fair. Building relationships in your community by being a
part of service clubs such as Kiwanis and Rotary, work- ing with non-profits in your area to help them achieve their goals, and having a strong presence at business events, provides a wonderful opportunity for us all to tell our story about what our Fairs are all about. Every- one we touch throughout the year is a potential cus- tomer who will walk through our gates during our event. The real beauty is, with the right message, “our” Fair becomes “their” Fair too.
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