Wenger | J.R. Clancy: Known as “The Great Minnesota Get-Together”, the Minnesota State Fair is in the midst of its 12-day run that concludes Labor Day. Nearly 1.8 million people are expected to attend; it’s one of the largest fairs in the nation and dates back to 1859.
2 comments:
This is so interesting! Fairgoers, like myself, typically forget the amount of structure and planning go into an event like this. It's easy to sit back and enjoy the rides, performances, and of course the food when attending a local fair. I found it particularly interesting how Alexander mentioned the importance of weather planning. This article really opened my eyes to non-tradtional types of management. I hope and pray for their sakes that there is no rain or storms during the fair (although they are prepared). Alexander touches upon the CAN DO attitude required of the fair staff- and I love it... Its what most drama technicians embody. “We called that crew, who were already heading home,” “Everyone came back and fired up the band shell stage so we could finish the contest!”
Wow! The part of this article that particularly intrigues me is the fact that fewer than 80 people work full-time on this Fair that attracts nearly two million attendees. I have organized various Hackathons in the Greater Pittsburgh Area, and it is difficult to manage even a couple hundred people with about 20 full-time staffers (and, we don't even need to worry about the weather!). The points this post has brought up regarding storm accommodations, teamwork, and attitude are definitely ones that any good organizer should keep at the forefront, and the success of this Fair is a great indication of why! I'm so glad that this post sheds light on what goes on in the background of large events - oftentimes, the people who are not highlighted are the ones doing the most work, and deserve nothing but credit for the effort and time that they put in.
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