Rain Didn’t Put a Damper on State Fair

By Cathlyna Theriot
Staff Writer
IG: th3riotnix

As the 2025 Kansas State Fair comes to a close, fairgoers look back at what an eventful week it was for those who attended.

Beginning on Sept. 5, the fair was off to a poor start with rainy, windy, and chilly weather all day long. This weather didn’t deter the community from attending the concerts and live events that evening.

The rest of the first weekend was clear, sunny, and summer-like for a few days, and it got hopes up that this would be a good fair week, but that would soon change.

Sept. 8 was supposed to be Dillons Day, where admission was $1. Most outdoor events, including the demolition derby, were cancelled because of the poor weather that occurred, the on and off storms the whole day, and the heaviness each storm held. By the time these storms had somewhat subsided, the fairgrounds were flooded, and that ended up in the main parking lots being closed.

Jason Probst, a Kansas State Fair board member, posted an update on the conditions of the fairgrounds and encouraged fairgoers to find alternative ways to the fair grounds. These ways included making use of shuttle buses at the Sports Arena and mall, carpooling with friends and family, and for those who lived nearby, to simply walk or bike to the grounds.

Probst also posted that the Kansas State Fair board had been talking and considering hosting another dollar day, because of the misfortune that befell the previous one, but this idea did not come to fruition as things became too complicated with the scheduling of other events throughout the rest of fair week.

This weather didn’t only hamper dollar day, and shut down parking, it ruined the plans of people that were going to attend

Sophomore Abby Wegerer had her plans voided.

“I just didn’t want to get stuck in the mud,” Wegerer said.

This weather had also affected the schedule for many Hutchinson Community College students, as fair attendees were seen parking in the HutchCC lots in the mornings following Monday.

Freshman Payton Huffman had the misfortune of being late to class for this reason.

“I was 15 minutes late, because all the lots I usually park in were filled to the brim with people attending the fair,” Hoffman said. “I ended up having to park in the south end parking lot of the Cosmosphere, and had to walk in a downpour”.

Though the Kansas State Fair had its ups and downs this year, with the wild winds and rainfall none would have expected, it was still a wonderful time for those who had the fortune of attending.

Views: 304