WATERLOO -- It's all about the kids. The Black Hawk County 4-H and FFA Fair has and will always celebrate youth, fair officials say.

So much so that adults who call the shots and control the purse strings want to keep the event strictly an achievement show. They shun the idea of a more traditional format followed in other counties, ones that include carnival rides and other entertainment.

Youth leaders agree recognizing hard work is important. But they counter that can still be done while offering more amusing opportunities, and 4-H County Council members, the youth organization that helps organize and run the fair, say it's time for a change.

But revisions in the fair schedule won't happen this year -- or possibly ever. When the four-day event starts Wednesday, there will be plenty of cakes, dresses and hogs on display, but no tractor pulls or country music concerts despite what kids say they want.

"It's pretty much a consensus, they want a county fair like the other (county fairs) have," said Pat Lichty, County Council adviser. "They talk about that every year."

Lichty is also mother of six boys who all exhibited at the fair. Her youngest son, John, is the last in 4-H and is a member of the council.

Black Hawk County Extension, which runs the 4-H program, and fair officials say switching the format isn't that easy. Commercializing the fair, following the lead of the vast majority of others in Northeast Iowa, takes money and volunteers, which aren't exactly in large supply.

A majority of adults also like the intimate and safe family setting the existing format provides, officials maintain, and they don't want to break from tradition.

"Our focus is youth achievement, not rides and evening entertainment," said Al Ricks, Extension director.

For people wondering why other counties -- Buchanan and Butler for instance -- put on big fairs that draw people in from beyond 4-H and FFA organizations and why Black Hawk County doesn't, the answer lies in its history.

Past

The fair's roots date to the early 1920's, according to the Extension office. Cedar Falls, Orange Township and La Porte City all had fairs geared toward adults. The Cedar Falls Fair was held where Dan Deery Motors now sits.

Youth 4-H clubs formed in every township later in the decade, and the area fairs in Black Hawk County eventually gave way to one 4-H fair held at the National Cattle Congress grounds in Waterloo.

Because of the immense popularity and size of the National Dairy Cattle Congress at the time, Ricks said past 4-H fair officials decided to emphasize projects. Competing with Cattle Congress -- known throughout the region for its livestock shows, midway, rodeo and concerts -- for the entertainment dollar would have been a losing proposition.

"Our fair grew up knowing that was a strong, established fair," Ricks said.

Most Northeast Iowa 4-H fairs, however, became countywide social events. The Butler County 4-H Fair, for example, featured horse racing and hired Tanya Tucker, one of country music's biggest acts at the time, to sing in the early 1970s.

Black Hawk County, though, was content without the glitz of grandstand performers. That doesn't mean 4-H members didn't have fun in the fair's early days.

Kathleen Holmes, 76, grew up on a farm north of Hudson and was a member of the Black Hawk Stars in the mid-1940s. She said just getting off the farm for a few days every year was a treat.

"Oh my yes, it was exciting," said Holmes, whose maiden name was Wason.

But she notes the definition of exciting has changed over time.

With little money after World War II, Holmes said it was fun to socialize for an extended period of time and show off projects and creativity. The 1947 fair book said Holmes and partner Norma Strayer gave a working demonstration called Recipe for Relaxation.

"We took an old wicker armchair, padding found in the attic and dyed feed sacks to make a chaises lounge. You didn't throw away things," Holmes said.

During the later part of the century, society became more mobile and money wasn't as much of an issue for 4-H families. But the fair -- later opened to FFA members -- stayed the same.

Pat Lichty, 50, and her husband, Randy, 51, met on a 4-H leadership trip to Washington, D.C. Their relationship blossomed at fair, so the annual event has sentimental value for the couple.

But they said there were so many activities jammed into three days, they didn't notice the Black Hawk County Fair was different than most others. No carnival. No shows.

"We didn't miss that," Pat said.

"We had Cattle Congress," Randy added.

Present

Today's fair is still about personal growth, projects, achievement and recognition for hard work.

John Lichty, 17, is dedicated to 4-H and his projects. He takes care of his show hogs, periodically weighing the animals to see how they are growing. He also has food and nutrition and photography projects. And he still considers going to the county and state fairs summer highlights.

The card games, seeing family and friends and roof ball -- a game John and two buddies invented a couple years ago to pass time -- are all great. But John and other 4-H and FFA members exhibiting this week think the fair could be so much more.

More than good conversation and imagination are required to entertain kids and adults it sometimes seems these days. And looking beyond his years in 4-H, John believes the fair needs to evolve if the 4-H organization itself intends to survive. When his parents were John's age, more than 800 kids participated in 4-H in Black Hawk County. Now membership is about 375.

John thinks by offering a carnival, truck pull or other entertainment, the public would visit the fair and more kids would join 4-H after they see how fun and fulfilling membership can be. Few people outside the 4-H and FFA organizations attend the fair even though events are free and open to the public.

"It will just get more people in the fair. More exposure will help bring more kids to 4-H," John said.

The theme of this year's fair is One Giant Step for Youth. Thousands of projects will be on display, ranging from cattle to model rockets to visual arts, and almost every year, one ambitious 4-Her restores an antique tractor.

4-H has evolved to the point boys enter bake goods and girls show cattle, which didn't happen decades ago. Projects for boys were ag related and for girls geared toward homemaking.

Amanda Repp, a county council member, hopes the fair's format will eventually evolve as well.

"Council members keep saying we need rides, we need shows, we need something," Repp said. "The adults won't listen. We have young ideas."

It's not that parents and other adults aren't listening, Extension and fair officials say. Plenty of other reasons explain why the fair remains an intimate affair.

Besides the tradition, fair officials say money is a big factor. Putting on this year's fair will cost about $12,000. Most going to the National Cattle Congress as rent. Fundraisers and donations cover the expense.

The Black Hawk County 4-H and FFA Foundation has accumulated about $250,000, but that's considered an emergency reserve to stage the fair if donations fall short or if the fair must move should NCC grounds not be available, which has happened in the past.

Expanding the fair to offer entertainment is a risky and costly venture, with no guarantee of a return, officials said. The NCC fair has lost thousands in the past sponsoring failed concerts.

"The thinking of the Fair Board now is keeping it more of an achievement show. It's family-friendly and kids can be dropped off and parents don't have to worry about outside influences," Ricks said.

Future

The Fair Board will hold its annual open forum Sept. 6 to solicit ideas on how to improve or possibly change the fair. The event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Extension Office on University Avenue in Waterloo.

"There are some voices every year that make the case for a more traditional fair," Ricks said.

There are voices just as strong to keep it as is, he adds.

Ricks questions the value of duplicating an event in midsummer that will appears in mid-September.

"Do you end up with similar venues that compete or make them distinctive?" he asked.

The idea of combining forces has been suggested by the council and by the public. The idea sounds beneficial to both parties -- 4-H and FFA members get the midway and entertainment they want without shouldering all the financial risk and Cattle Congress could bolster its agricultural roots, exhibitors and most likely attendance.

While both sides don't rule out the possibility, and 4-H and FFA officials say a merger represents the best shot to spice up their fair, the chances don't appear good.

For local projects to be eligible for the Iowa State Fair, they must be judged prior to its start in mid-August. That means Cattle Congress fair dates would have move to accommodate 4-H and FFA members.

Doug Miller, NCC executive director, is afraid the heat and humidity in July could hurt attendance. Plus, he said breaking the fall tradition in September may not be received well. Local kids, for instance, have Friday off from school during Cattle Congress to enjoy the festivities.

"It's that timing problem. We've kicked it around and its always on the table … but a lot of people in the Cedar Valley like the traditional fall fair," Miller said.

Accommodating commercial exhibitors and 4-H and FFA exhibitors would have to be worked out as well, Miller said. Both sides use Estel Hall during their respective fairs, but the space is completely filled during Cattle Congress. Organizers would need to find a new home for 4-H projects.

"We're not shutting the door to (a merger), but there are good reasons why they're separate," Miller said.

Contact Matthew Wilde at (319) 291-1579 or matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.