It”s fair to say that life, for Richard Persons, has always been about the fair. The outgoing CEO of the Lake County Fair began showing livestock at county events as a child. He learned the art of fair management as a student in Cal Poly”s agribusiness program, working at various gatherings as a summer job. After 18 fairs in Lakeport, he is leaving the post–but not the sights and sounds of the animal barns and the midway. In October, he takes over the Santa Maria Fair Park in Santa Barbara County.
1. Is there anything you don”t know about the county fair?
There are probably a few things.
2. What is it about the fair?
County fairs are a reflection of the community. Every fair is different. At every fair people think theirs is the best. It doesn”t matter where it is, they think it is the best. That”s because the fair is put on by people in the community. Everyone here is local–even a good sampling of our food concessionaires. Every fair is like that.
3. Is Lake County”s the best?
Of course.
4. The fair is a consuming thing. Do you know any news in August?
You do get immersed in what”s happening here for a week or so. I haven”t seen any news. It would take a major event to break through what is going on here.
5. Has it changed over the years?
The internet has changed everything. Communication is much faster because of it. Things that took months and months and months come together more quickly now. For example, we had booked exotic animals. We got a call that there had been an accident and they would not make it. I sent an email to basically everyone in the fair business on the west coast. By 4 in the afternoon we had a replacement. Before the internet that wouldn”t have happened. On the downside people are more likely to put things off, because they can wait until the last minute.
6. The fair is still about the animals, though–right?
Yes. And without question it”s about the human interaction, people talking–and that may be over the animals, over the race cars, over the flowers. Every constituency thinks the fair is about their interests.
7. What”s your favorite part?
Seeing all the little kids having a good time on the rides, petting animals, eating deep fried ice cream. That”s always my favorite part.
8. What”s the strangest fried food you”ve tried?
It didn”t have anything to do with the fair. But we have a couple stands doing all kinds of deep fried stuff.
9. When the fair is over, how does it feel?
There”s a mixture of relief, exhaustion and dread over the fact that you have to wait another year to do it again. People don”t do this as a hobby. They do it because they love to.
10. So if you weren”t working at the fair, what would you be doing?
I don”t have any idea.
