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DUBUQUE COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION INC.: Difference between revisions
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DUBUQUE COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION INC. Established in 1953, the non-profit | DUBUQUE COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION INC. Established in 1953, the non-profit association planned and operated the annual [[DUBUQUE COUNTY FAIR]]. Over fifty-seven years, the organization by 2010 offered visitors ninety-six acres of carefully cared-for property, three rental facilities with a combined 32,000 square foot indoor space, parking for thousands of cars, a 3/8 mile dirt track, and outdoor Festival Area, experienced event planners, and full-service food and beverages. | ||
The 1989 ''Dubuque City Directory'' listed 14583 Old Highway Road. | The fairgrounds annually hosted hundreds of events from craft fairs to weddings. (1) | ||
The Dubuque County supervisors voted Monday, May 4, 2026 to sell the county fairgrounds to the local fair association, settling months of back-and-forth over the property’s ownership. John Bries, general manager of Dubuque County Fair Association, had been asked county leaders for a permanent fix to the association’s lack of a lease since October 2024. With the vote in May, all that remained was for the county to officially deed the property to the association. | |||
On Monday, Supervisor Ann McDonough asked County Attorney Scott Nelson about a reverter clause in the agreement — a protection that would transfer ownership of the fairgrounds back to the county if the fair association ever dissolves. That safeguard is written into the purchase agreement the supervisors approved, but Nelson said the reverter expires after 21 years, as mandated by the law. That meant future supervisors would have to keep tabs on what the county previously approved. | |||
Nelson suggested the county add a contractual stipulation “so that every year, you can open it up and look at, ‘Hey, what needs to be done this year? Look at what happened to the lease for the fairgrounds. Nobody had a copy of that — they found it in the wall of a building that got torn down,” Nelson said. “There’s a whole lot of things out there that people in the past do and then walk away, and nobody keeps track of what has to follow up.” | |||
The reverter clause was something the county requested, Bries said, but he understood the legal protection. | |||
The county fair, which drew about 40,000 attendees in 2025, is just one offering at the fairgrounds. The fair association also allows nonprofits, 4-H and FFA groups and private parties to use the 96-acre space. Last weekend, the site hosted Dubuque’s annual Vintage Torque Fest. | |||
Now that the fair association is set to own the property, Bries hoped association leaders can make necessary improvements more easily. The organization planned to update the fairgrounds’ barns and make improvements to several buildings, from carpet replacements to a revamped bar. Bries also hoped to see more community involvement as the nonprofit takes over ownership. T"he fair association still wants the county and the city of Dubuque in the mix," he said. (2) | |||
The 1989 '''Dubuque City Directory''' listed 14583 Old Highway Road. | |||
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"2010 Season of the Arts," ''Julien's Journal'', October 2010, p. 55 | 1. "2010 Season of the Arts," '''Julien's Journal''', October 2010, p. 55 | ||
2. Burwell, Grace, "Dubuque County Supervisors Approve Fairgrounds Sale; Fair Association Pleased With Results," THo, https://share.google/CqGH02YA6icTqVcgW | |||
nline: May 5, 2025 | |||
[[Category: Organizations]] | [[Category: Organizations]] | ||
Latest revision as of 16:55, 3 June 2026
DUBUQUE COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION INC. Established in 1953, the non-profit association planned and operated the annual DUBUQUE COUNTY FAIR. Over fifty-seven years, the organization by 2010 offered visitors ninety-six acres of carefully cared-for property, three rental facilities with a combined 32,000 square foot indoor space, parking for thousands of cars, a 3/8 mile dirt track, and outdoor Festival Area, experienced event planners, and full-service food and beverages.
The fairgrounds annually hosted hundreds of events from craft fairs to weddings. (1)
The Dubuque County supervisors voted Monday, May 4, 2026 to sell the county fairgrounds to the local fair association, settling months of back-and-forth over the property’s ownership. John Bries, general manager of Dubuque County Fair Association, had been asked county leaders for a permanent fix to the association’s lack of a lease since October 2024. With the vote in May, all that remained was for the county to officially deed the property to the association.
On Monday, Supervisor Ann McDonough asked County Attorney Scott Nelson about a reverter clause in the agreement — a protection that would transfer ownership of the fairgrounds back to the county if the fair association ever dissolves. That safeguard is written into the purchase agreement the supervisors approved, but Nelson said the reverter expires after 21 years, as mandated by the law. That meant future supervisors would have to keep tabs on what the county previously approved.
Nelson suggested the county add a contractual stipulation “so that every year, you can open it up and look at, ‘Hey, what needs to be done this year? Look at what happened to the lease for the fairgrounds. Nobody had a copy of that — they found it in the wall of a building that got torn down,” Nelson said. “There’s a whole lot of things out there that people in the past do and then walk away, and nobody keeps track of what has to follow up.”
The reverter clause was something the county requested, Bries said, but he understood the legal protection.
The county fair, which drew about 40,000 attendees in 2025, is just one offering at the fairgrounds. The fair association also allows nonprofits, 4-H and FFA groups and private parties to use the 96-acre space. Last weekend, the site hosted Dubuque’s annual Vintage Torque Fest.
Now that the fair association is set to own the property, Bries hoped association leaders can make necessary improvements more easily. The organization planned to update the fairgrounds’ barns and make improvements to several buildings, from carpet replacements to a revamped bar. Bries also hoped to see more community involvement as the nonprofit takes over ownership. T"he fair association still wants the county and the city of Dubuque in the mix," he said. (2)
The 1989 Dubuque City Directory listed 14583 Old Highway Road.
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Source:
1. "2010 Season of the Arts," Julien's Journal, October 2010, p. 55
2. Burwell, Grace, "Dubuque County Supervisors Approve Fairgrounds Sale; Fair Association Pleased With Results," THo, https://share.google/CqGH02YA6icTqVcgW nline: May 5, 2025