SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas State Fair will have new lighting in the parking lots of the grounds this year to help fairgoers feel more safe.
"We are doing two things in the parking lots this year," Kansas State Fair general manager Bryan Schulz said. "We added the cameras, plus we're increasing the lighting out in the parking lot. We're working with Reno County Emergency Management and bringing in three light towers, so that will light up lots A and B even more."
Schulz said the need for the additional lighting in the lots comes after noticing how dark the lots were after the sun went down.
"People are leaving the grounds at 10 or 11 o'clock at night and it's almost pitch dark out there," Schulz said. "Once they're outside the fence and get into the parking lots, we don't know who is out there. We have patrol going through there, but you don't know who could be hiding out there. We are making sure that people who are on the grounds or even in the vicinity of the grounds that they feel safe."
Schulz hopes that people will notice the difference when coming to the fairgrounds beginning next week.
"We've also invested close to $600,000 in lighting out here," Schulz said. "When you come out at night, you'll definitely see a difference. There were a lot of dark spots out here. So probably by the end of the year we'll have invested almost $600,000 in the lighting."
The 2024 Kansas State Fair is Sept. 6-15 in Hutchinson. To find more information on the fair, click here.