(Durham) Fair Warning

Prices are going up, up, up for fair

The economy is hitting everyone, even Connecticut's agricultural fairs. The association that runs the Durham Fair says it's raising the price of admission for this year's event. 

The adult admission is increasing from $12 to $15, the Middletown Press reports. For seniors, it's going up from $10 to $13. Children under 11 are still free.

But that's not all that's changing. The fair will now also charge $5 for parking at the Wimler, Strickland and Greenbacker farms. Parking and the shuttle ride to the fairgrounds had always been free in the past, but not in these tough times.

Michelle LaPointe, marketing coordinator for the fair, says costs for leasing the parking lots, bus contracts, parking attendants and light towers runs them about $130,000 a year.  

"We really needed to implement a parking fee to offset that cost," LaPointe told the Middletown paper.

Even with the new fees, LaPointe said she expects the Durham Fair to lose between $200,000 and $250,000 this year if the weather is nice.  She said they would lose double that if it rains.

The Durham fair will be held Sept. 25 to 27.

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