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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Sept. 9 ... Climb to the upper world of Mount Bailey ... Arrest made in 2-year vandalism spree ... Emergency services, Sept. 9 ... Climb to the upper world of Mount Bailey ... Arrest made in 2-year vandalism spree ... COUNTY FAIR The Expo is running in the black, thanks to diversification Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Sep. 7, 2016 at 5:16 PM Updated Sep 7, 2016 at 5:24 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Sep. 7, 2016 at 5:16 PM Updated Sep 7, 2016 at 5:24 PM » Social News CENTRAL POINT — The 2016 Jackson County Fair saw a drop in attendance compared to the previous two years, but also saw a boost in income from the carnival. The five-day event brought in about 74,500 people, down 8 percent from the estimated 81,000 to pass through the gates in 2015 and 2014. But the Expo's carnival income jumped about 12 percent — about $202,000 compared to $180,000 the year before — thanks in part to a $5 rise in the cost of wristbands. Total income from all fair events is not yet available, Expo Director Helen Funk said, but she noted other highlights: The livestock auction, which benefits FFA and 4-H clubs, exceeded its sales goal of $1.2 million, and alcohol sales rose 14 percent compared to 2015 numbers. The Expo's total budget for 2016-17 fiscal year is about $2.1 million, up about $400,000 from the year before. Currently, the facility is operating in the black with about $300,000 in reserves, Funk said. "Things are going really well in the right direction," Funk, who began her job as director in 2015, said. It's been several years since the Jackson County Board of Commissioners forgave $314,305 in loan debt the Expo had racked up. Cost-cutting measures such as trimming full time-staffers from eight to three and reducing the fair run from six days to five have been implemented since then, and county officials said they have helped. "They’ve slowly built a positive fund balance and so they haven’t needed a loan since then," said County Administrator Danny Jordan. Funk said she hopes to keep the momentum going. She said the Expo's philosophy is to not rely on the fair as the facility's main source of income, but to continue to host similar events on a regular basis. "If you have a down year, what happens?" Funk said. "We watched it happen to our neighbors this year. On either side of us, our fairs were hit." Josephine County's 2016 fair saw a 30 percent plummet in attendance , dropping to about 54,000 from 77,000 last year. "If we weigh so heavily on this one event, and we get something like 103 to 105 temperatures, then our entire budget could get flipped, and we're all suffering for the rest of the year," Funk said. "The thought process is: 'We need to be an Expo year-round that has these five events, yes, but that we are a facility for you to hold your events here the rest of the year.'" This doesn't just extend to events Expo officials manage, she added. The approach entails renting out the space and hosting the events, but not necessarily always managing them. Examples on the horizon include the Country Crossings music festival and the Oregon Quarter Horse Summer Classic. "What are those other events we can bring from outside of our region in and help them to facilitate those?" Funk said. "Because that's what we can be really good at." Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Sep. 7, 2016 at 5:16 PM Updated Sep 7, 2016 at 5:24 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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