SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR E-NEWS

South Carolina State Fair Agricultural and Mechanical Society of South Carolina

FALL 2005 2005 FAIR DATES ~ OCTOBER COLUMBIA

www.scstatefair.org

Greetings from the South Carolina State Fair! The 136th South Carolina State Fair is just around the corner and you don't want to miss one day of it...we're talkin' Mega Thrills 2005!

In this issue:

• NEW "Opt-In" E-Mail Campaign
• SC State Fair Academic Scholarship Recognition Banquet
• Competitive Exhibits Entry Registration Closed
• Youth Admissions Policy Will Be Enforced
• New Carnival
• New Look for PEPSI® Grandstand
• Tips to Stretch Your Entertainment Budget
• Important Notice for Competitive Exhibitors
• Thanks to our Sponsors
• Work at the Fair
• USC Football Fans "Tailgate Under the Rocket"
• Monthly Calendar of Events
• Host Your Event at the Fairgrounds

NEW ~ "Opt-In" E-Mail Campaign

The SC State Fair is using a new "Opt-In" e-mail feature to ensure its mailing list is 100% permission-based with the ability for the recipient to "Opt-Out" at any time. If you have not received an Opt-In e-mail from the SC State Fair during the past few weeks and wish to receive e-mailings, enter your e-mail address in the E-Newsletter Subscription box located at http://www.scstatefair.org. Even if you have registered in the past, you need to re-subscribe at this time. You will receive a confirmation from confirmation@emailcounts.com on behalf of South Carolina State Fair. You must respond to this e-mail by clicking on Yes, I want to join! This will take you to a Subscriber Management page where we gather information regarding your interests. All we need is your e-mail address, but you may also give your name, age, gender, city, state, postal code, country. To the right of this page you should click all areas of interest in the Fair: Newsletter, Advance Ticket Sales, Commercial Exhibitor, Concessions, Rental Facility, Football Parking, or one of the Competitive Exhibit departments.

You will find an E-News Archive in the drop-down menu tab titled Throughout the Year . The 2005 Winter E-News is scheduled to be published on December 21, 2005 .

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SC State Fair Academic Scholarship Recognition Banquet

The Excecutive Committee of the SC State Fair recognized it's newest fifty (50) $2,000 scholarship recipients on July 30 with a banquet in the Moore Building. Recipients parents, siblings, guidance counselors, high school principals and media were also invited to honor these deserving students. Despite torrential rains and partial flooding of the Moore Building, the scholarship recipients made their way to dry ground to accept a facsimile of a $2,000 scholarship check, as well as view the handsome banners which list each recipient's name and will hang on Academic Avenue during the SC State Fair. According to SCSF General Manager, Gary Goodman, "in future years banners listing the new scholarship recipient names will be added to these banners and, in time, the entire fairground will be covered with scholarship banners". Be sure to take a walk down the Academic Avenue during your visit to the Fair. Click here to view a list of 2005 SC State Fair Academic Scholarship recipients.

Competitive Exhibits Entry Registration Period Closed

All Competitive Exhibit departments have closed entry registration for the 2005 SC State Fair. Please refer to the Online Premium Guide for exhibit receiving dates for all departments. We added over 1200 new exhibitors to our Competitive Exhibitor database this year. Good luck to all exhibitors!

Remember, the 2006 Entry Registration Period opens in mid-July, so mark your calendars to log on to the Online Premium Guide next summer and register early.

Youth Admissions Policy to be Enforced at 2005 SC State Fair

"Our first priority is the safety of our patrons."

Gary Goodman, SC State Fair Manager (10/14/04)

The Youth Admissions Policy will again be enforced at this year's fair. You will find this policy has been added to the South Carolina State Fair General Rules and Regulations. We are asking that all fair goers comply with the public safety measures enacted at the 2004 SC State Fair.

New Carnival

Conklin Shows, our midway vendor for many years, has merged with Thebault-Blomsness and Farrow Shows to become North American Midway Entertainment. Several new rides have been added to the fairgrounds in 2005 to insure Mega Thrills for all. Click here to view a listing of major and kiddie carnival rides and other fun stuff recently added to the web site.

New Look for PEPSI® Grandstand

The PEPSI® Grandstand arena has been paved and offers 2,000 reserved seats and 4,000 General Admission seats available on a "first-come, first-serve" basis. Removal of the old grandstand created extra space for a new stage for local entertainers and a new Food Court!!! Insider Tip: Be sure to catch a performance by Vocal Trash appearing on the Free Grandstand Stage on your visit to the Fair.

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Stretch Your Entertainment Budget

The 136th edition of the South Carolina State Fair is packed full of fun and mega thrills! Stretch your entertainment budget with these money saving offers:

• SAVE...Purchase fair gate admission, carnival ride vouchers, and PEPSI® Grandstand entertainment tickets in advance of opening day of the fair at reduced prices beginning Monday, September 12, 2005 via online or telephone. See details at www.scstatefair.org ; and click on Tickets menu tab.

• SAVE...PEPSI ® Grandstand tickets purchased prior to opening day of the fair include gate admission; when purchased after the fair begins, grandstand tickets do not include gate admission.

• SAVE...Piggly Wiggly ® stores statewide will serve as a ticket outlet for gate admission and carnival ride vouchers; however, PEPSI® Grandstand tickets may only be purchased online, by telephone, or at the SC State Fair Ticket Box Office .

• SAVE...Free Parking at all SC State Fair lots!!!

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Important Notice for Competitive Exhibitors!

Exhibits Must Be Claimed on Following Dates:

Fine Art exhibitors must claim their artwork by 6:00 PM on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 . Art work remaining on October 19 will become the property of the South Carolina State Fair and will be disposed or given to charity. No exceptions.

Student Art exhibitors must claim their artwork by 6:00 PM on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 . Art work remaining on October 20 will become the property of the South Carolina State Fair and will be disposed or given to charity. No exceptions.

Home and Craft exhibitors must claim their exhibits by 6:00 PM on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 . Exhibits remaining on October 19 will be come the property of the South Carolina State Fair and will disposed or given to charity. No exceptions.

Agriculture exhibitors must claim their exhibits by 5:00 PM on Monday, October 17, 2005 . Exhibits remaining on October 18 will be come the property of the South Carolina State Fair and will disposed or given to charity. No exceptions.

Flower exhibitors must claim their exhibits by 2:00 PM on Monday, October 17, 2005 . Exhibitsremaining on October 18 will be come the property of the South Carolina State Fair and will disposed or given to charity. No exceptions.

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Host Your Event at the Fairgrounds

Interested in hosting your event at the fairgrounds? Click on the home page menu tab Throughout the Year , and then select Facility Rentals from the drop down menu. Contact information and application forms are available on this page.

Thanks to SC State Fair Sponsors

Many thanks to the following corporate sponsors of the 2005 South Carolina State Fair: Pepsi®, SC Education Lottery, Piggly Wiggly, Blanchard Machinery, Lustre Craft®, Pork The Other White Meat®, SC Farm Bureau®, and SC Army National Guard.

Since 1869 the South Carolina State Fair has been a part of Columbia 's landscape. Over its eleven-day run, the fair offers a unique opportunity to reach a very large and diverse segment of our population. Now is the time to become a part of this great tradition and we invite you to become a SC State Fair Sponsor! For information regarding specific sponsorship opportunities, please e-mail Nancy Smith or telephone 803-799-3387, ext. 16.

Work at the Fair

The SC Employment Security Commission (Job Service) trailer will take applications for ticket sellers, cashiers, ride/game attendants, set-up/tear-down workers, cooks, food servers, and money handlers beginning Tuesday, September 20 at the SC State Fairgrounds outside Gate 9 on George Rogers Blvd. Applicants must apply in person. When applying, please be prepared with the following information: hours you are available to work, type of work you are seeking, and your phone number and an alternate message number.

"Tailgate Under the Rocket"

USC Football Fans

Space is very limited at this time; however, application forms for Reserved Football Parking are available at www.scstatefair.org for all USC home games except for the Alabama, September 17 game and the Kentucky, October 8 game which is held during the 2005 South Carolina State Fair.

Also available are applications for RV/Camper parking reservations and RV/Camper parking reservations for Concessionaires and Commercial Exhibitors during the 2005 South Carolina State Fair. E-mail Steve Felsberg or telephone 803-799-3387, ext. 22.

Monthly Calendar of Events

Here is a partial listing of events being held at the SC State Fairgrounds during November and December: The Craftsman's Christmas Classic Arts & Crafts Festival, SC Employment Security Commission 2005 Job Fair, American Public Works Assn. Fall Equipment Show, Gem and Mineral Show, Fall Dog Trials, Holiday Market, Gun Show.

Find a listing of events held on the fairgrounds, complete with location and contact information at www.scstatefair.org and click on the menu tab Throughout the Year , then select Calendar of Events from the drop down menu. If interested in holding an event at the fairgrounds, e-mail Tim Wilson or telephone 803-799-3387, ext. 11.

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