Main Street, USA Project To Hit Western Idaho Fair

Construction of a 4,000-square-foot replica of Main Street, USA, was to begin between the Christmas and New Year's holiday on the grounds of the Western Idaho fair, Boise.

The project, called Western Town, is expected to cost roughly $75,000 and should be complete by July 1. It will serve as the newest attraction for fairgoers in August, as well as an additional source of revenue during the off-season.

"We are very excited about the new attraction," said fair CEO Don Bich. "By the time we are through with this project, we will have put in about $4.2 million over the last six years in capital improvements. We think it will be a nice way to offer patrons an old-time stroll through the past. A little walk down Main Street, USA."

Western Town will feature a saloon, an outdoor gazebo, antique shows and exhibits comprised of donated items from the local historical society, he said. It will also serve as an entertainment hub during fair time.

During the off-season, Bich said the facility will also be opened up to the public for private dinners, weddings and corporate events, bringing in much needed revenue for further improvements and grounds maintenance.

"We are what's called an enterprise fund of county government," said Bich. "That simply means that we take no tax dollars from Ada County. The county owns the property, but we have to recover all of our costs from non-use events and we put those back into expenses and capital improvements."

Bich said the fair draws about 250,000 people over the nine-day run, and an additional 750,000 for off-season events.

The fair's largest source of off-season revenue now comes from a variety of trade shows held in the 75,000-square-foot expo building, Bich said.

One of the largest of those events is the winter Christmas show, which draws about 25,000 people over a four-day period. The Christmas show features crafts and food items for sale, many of which are made by local artisans.

Admission to the Christmas show is $4.

"The off-season events are pretty typical trade-show types of events," Bich said. "We have probably five shows that are comparable in size to the Christmas show, but that one is probably the largest."

Other events include the fall home show in late September, the Spring and Garden show in March, and the Boise Roadster Show March 9-12.

"The roadster show is one of the largest on the West Coast," Bich said.

Bich said most of the larger trade shows have been held on the fairgrounds for the last 20 or 25 years, all averaging between 25,000 and 30,000 in attendance.

"We obviously fill in with things like boat shows, gun shows, remodeling shows, new and used car sales, gymnastics meets, free kids fairs," Bich said.

The fairgrounds buildings are also being prepared for a fresh coat of paint over the holiday season while the fairgrounds are closed for two weeks for what Bich called a "quiet period."