Inflation and supply chain issues may cause some prices at the Iowa State Fair to increase slightly. From traveling with animals to fair officials securing those well-loved rides and tents, everything comes at a cost. “Inflation is cracking down on all of us,” said Gary Slater, the Iowa State Fair’s CEO. Between inflation and a clog in the supply chain, Slater and the Iowa State Fair team has worked hard to make sure everything is good to when the fair begins. This year, the fair starts on Aug. 11 and goes on until Aug. 22.”We did start ordering earlier and yes it was more expensive than it’s been other years,” Slater said.Slater says that won’t change the price for admission. Tickets are $9 if you pay in advance online and $14 if people pay at the gate. However, when it comes to prices beyond the gate, that’s a different story. “We don’t control the vendors’ prices,” Slater said.Vendors, like Eric Campbell who owns Campbell Concessions, are working hard to control their prices while battling the trick-down effect created by inflation. “Most of our product is about 30% increased than it was last year because of the trucking, the fuel, and then the chicken prices are through the roof,” Campbell said.Campbell says to offset that 30% increase, prices have gone up anywhere between $.50 to $1.”We knew we were going to go through some struggles,” Campbell said. “We had a lot of problems with getting supplies last year at the fair.” Campbell says companies just didn’t have people back at manufacturing companies making the supplies needed. This year, Campbell and the team are still looking for some employees, who can apply on the state fairgrounds. The Campbell Concessions team, like other vendors, is still doing what it can so inflation doesn’t put a fizzle in fair fun. “We’re still going to have the great food,” Campbell said. “We’re going to keep prices the best we can because we want people to enjoy the fair like they have since grandpa, grandpa, and four generations have been coming there.”Also from Kayla James: DSM city crews not allowed to fix private road riddled with potholes causing problems
Inflation and supply chain issues may cause some prices at the Iowa State Fair to increase slightly.
From traveling with animals to fair officials securing those well-loved rides and tents, everything comes at a cost.
“Inflation is cracking down on all of us,” said Gary Slater, the Iowa State Fair’s CEO.
Between inflation and a clog in the supply chain, Slater and the Iowa State Fair team has worked hard to make sure everything is good to when the fair begins. This year, the fair starts on Aug. 11 and goes on until Aug. 22.
“We did start ordering earlier and yes it was more expensive than it’s been other years,” Slater said.
Slater says that won’t change the price for admission. Tickets are $9 if you pay in advance online and $14 if people pay at the gate.
However, when it comes to prices beyond the gate, that’s a different story.
“We don’t control the vendors’ prices,” Slater said.
Vendors, like Eric Campbell who owns Campbell Concessions, are working hard to control their prices while battling the trick-down effect created by inflation.
“Most of our product is about 30% increased than it was last year because of the trucking, the fuel, and then the chicken prices are through the roof,” Campbell said.
Campbell says to offset that 30% increase, prices have gone up anywhere between $.50 to $1.
“We knew we were going to go through some struggles,” Campbell said. “We had a lot of problems with getting supplies last year at the fair.”
Campbell says companies just didn’t have people back at manufacturing companies making the supplies needed.
This year, Campbell and the team are still looking for some employees, who can apply on the state fairgrounds. The Campbell Concessions team, like other vendors, is still doing what it can so inflation doesn’t put a fizzle in fair fun.
“We’re still going to have the great food,” Campbell said. “We’re going to keep prices the best we can because we want people to enjoy the fair like they have since grandpa, grandpa, and four generations have been coming there.”
Also from Kayla James: DSM city crews not allowed to fix private road riddled with potholes causing problems
