Ohio wineries and breweries are an important and growing part of the agricultural landscape in our state, yet they have no place at our State Fair.
“Beer at the Fair” is back in the news this year as Union County has recently ok’ed the taboo beverage for sale at their 2008 county fair.
If you’ll recall from last year, there was some buzz about the possibility of featuring beer and wine in a controlled environment at the 2007 Ohio State Fair, one of the largest fairs in the country that doesn’t serve alcohol. The poll last year indicates that over 75% of Columbus Underground approves of beer being served at the State Fair. Many commented that alcohol at the fair would actually be a draw to this event that they otherwise wouldn’t attend.
So, what do you think? Should beer be sold at the Ohio State Fair with certain restrictions and limitations? Should local wineries and breweries take part in showcasing their products at the state fair? Or will the extra element of alcohol add too much rowdiness that wouldn’t make it worth the additional revenue from sales?