Spring Fling Hosts Best Turnout In 10 Years

Grant County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism's annual Spring Fling had a "great crowd" and lots of vendors.

"We had a lot more vendors than we've had in the last couple of years, so things are kind of growing back to a little bigger event," said Grant County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Marieta Hauser. "We had almost every booth full inside."

Hauser said the number of vendors this year is more than than it's been in the last 10 years.

"We had 56 vendors this year - that's up from the last couple of years," she said. "We used to fill the whole thing (Grant County Civic Center). The South Room was full. The Lawson room was full..... That was back in its hay day 40 years ago. We've been having a Spring Fling for more than 40 years."

This is the first year the group opted to have more food trucks involved.

"We did multiple food trucks this year," Hauser said. "We usually just have two or three inside. The committee started talking when we met after the fair about what a big draw the food trucks are. We did worry a little about it being on the west side of the Civic Center. We thought people might grab food and not come in. But, then we thought most people, if they are out there, would at least walk through and turns out they did."

Putting the annual event together is not an easy process.

"We've got a committe that meets several times a year," Hauser said. "We'll do a critique meeting here within the next week or two. We have the vendors fill out a critique sheet and we'll then go over those and start working on next year. We'll start thinking about a theme for next year and get the Civic Center reserved of course. Then from that we have a calendar of events that we work on showing by this date we need to have this done and so forth."

Most of those on the committee for Spring Fling have been volunteering for the event for quite awhile, according to Hauser.

"There's no doubt we have some really good volunteers, but we are always looking for someone who might want to join us and help in the future," she said. 

The event has local and area business vendors as well as entertainment.

"Jerry Anderson from Anderson Imaging is kind of my entertainment guru," Hauser said. "He lines up the entertainment with suggestions from everyone else. The rest of the committee works on setting everything up, helping tear everything down when its over, rounding up any possible vendors because we all know different people, and with suggestions."

Hauser said they work well together.

"We have a great team," she added. "There is no way that show could be pulled off by just Robin (Leonard) and I. The Civic Center staff is fabulous to work with too. I just can't say enough good things about them."

This year, Southwest Legends baseball players lent a helping hand.

"We had Southwest Legends lined up to help us keep the place neat and tidy," Hauser said. "They were wiping down tables, and doing other things we just don't have the time to do, because my committee - most of them have a booth they have to work. So, it falls on Robin and I and the Chamber Ambassadors to do all of that."

Hauser said because of the team's efforts, it freed them up to do other things.

"It takes a real team to put that show on," she said. "We had local people who just showed up to help us set up on Thursday and we had a great crew helping with the tear down. Folks just volunteer and make it happen."

Friday and Saturday were both busy days.

"We had a lot of lookers on Friday, but nobody was buying," Hauser said. "I think I hear that happens every year. I think we have people who come in and walk around and look at things, go home, think about it and buy the next day."

Entertainment this year included the game Family Feud. Marcia Swan served as hostess for the game action which included four different episodes. Haylee Kastl and Arabella Ashby gave singing performaces, and the Diamond Dance Troupe presented dance routines.

"Hayden Graber and Evan Gray performed this year as well," Hauser added. "Hayden sang and played the guitar while Evan played the box drum, which was basically drumming on a speaker. They drew a big crowd and all of them did a wonderful job."

Other entertainment slots were filled by Grant County Farm Bureau's Kiddie Peddle Tractor pull and a tent building contest with contestants attempting to set up a Boy Scout tent.

Along with all of the inside activities offered for Spring Fling attendees, there was an additional option taking place outside.

"The tractor pull was added two years ago," Hauser said. "It is separate from Spring Fling. They came to us a couple of years ago and said they would like to have one when we had our event."

Hauser said organizers of the tractor pull were concerned about the noise being a problem for Spring Fling participants.

"They said to let them know if a tractor was too loud," Hauser said. "Honestly, we didn't even hear them. I think it's good for them to have their event when we have ours because people at Spring Fling go out and watch them and those who come to the tractor pull will at least come and walk through our event. I think it's something if they are willing to continue - we are willing.  Last year was their first year to do their event at the same time as ours and this year was the first time they had tractor pulls both Friday and Saturday."

Hauser said the tractor pull event has a really good "following."

"It's always a big event at the fair," she said. "I think it's a good addition to our event. I think it helps the crowd all the way around and most likely helped the food vendors too."

Hauser said, again, how much those who volunteered and the Civic Center staff added to the event.

"The show ended at 7 p.m., and by 8:45 p.m., Saturday were were done tearing down," she said. "It went really quickly. We had a baseball team, local volunteers, and the Civic Center staff - they are so wonderful to work with when we have a big event like that. Their crew did a fabulous job and took care of us."

Hauser also expressed appreciation for the vendors.

"It is difficult to pack everything up and haul it out to the Civic Center," she said. "We sure appreciate the locals who came and participated in the show."