Welcome to the Indiana Association of Fairs, Festivals and Events (INAFFE)

Flooding Affects County Fairgrounds

The recent flooding that Indiana experienced has also affected some fairgrounds:

• The Owen County fairgrounds in Spencer was flooded, but health officials gave the okay and their fair went on as scheduled.
• The Morgan County fairgrounds in Martinsville was not damaged, but it was used as a disaster relief center by FEMA. Debris from aross the county was brought there as a collection point, and rental of the facilities was cancelled.

If your county fairgrounds or 4-H facilities has been affected by the flooding, please Contact Us so we can keep everyone informed.

INAFFE Associate Nominated For Award

Our congratulations to Todd Boltin of Variety Attractions, Inc., a longtime Associate member. Todd was recently nominated for the Academy Of Country Music’s 2008 Talent Buyer Of The Year Award. This marks the second consecutive year that one of Variety Attractions’ six agents has been nominated for this award--in 2007, the ACM Talent Buyer Of The Year was awarded to Variety Attractions’ own Bill Magann.

Class AAA Entries Wanted For Communication Awards

This year's winners of the Communication Awards program do not include a winner from Class AAA. That's because none of the member fairs/festivals that fall into the Class AAA category entered the contest.

There are ten counties that fit into Class AAA: Clark, Delaware, Grant, Hendricks, Howard, Johnson, Kosciusko, Laporte, Monroe and Vigo. We encourage organizations from these counties to enter the contest in 2008. It is a perfect way for you to showcase your event, and a great way to generate new ideas as your organization plans its upcoming activities.

Be creative—if your adult volunteers say they are too busy, enlist the help of a 4-H club or Youth Fair Board member to create your contest entry. The deadline to enter this year’s contest is November 20, 2008.

Hoye Joins IAFE Board

Cindy Hoye, executive director of the Indiana State Fair Commission, has been elected to second vice chair on the International Association of Fair and Expositions’ board of directors. Her responsibilities will include presiding over the meetings of the membership (which consists of over 2,500 fairs and associates) and she will become chair in 2010.

Hoye is an Indianapolis native who worked as the Indiana State Fair’s marketing director for 17 years before being appointed by Governor Mitch Daniels as its executive director in 2004. Her distinguished career includes working for the Wisconsin State Fair and the State Fair of Texas, as well as numerous professional honors such as the IAFE Certified Fair Executive award.