Storm damage slows preparations at DuPage fairgrounds

The show’s ready to go on at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton where downed power lines and damage from storms earlier this month complicated preparations.

The fairgrounds were without power for more than a week after a storm blew through the area July 1 — a critical time for preparation in advance of the fair’s July 25 opening — damaging power sources, trees and some of the buildings.

“Two weeks of energy that would normally be used setting up to get the fair in order was spent in the recovery mode trying to get the lines reset and buildings repaired,” said Jim McGuire, president of the DuPage County Fair Association. “Everything was impacted.”

The fair will run through July 29 at the fairgrounds, 2015 Manchester Road. It includes animals and exhibits, contests, concerts and other main stage entertainment, a carnival and more.

Strong winds from a storm system that caused damage throughout DuPage and Cook counties caused four large power poles to topple like dominoes on the fairgrounds’ midway, pulling power lines down over the main exhibition building and damaging transformers.

Additional wind damage knocked out some windows and blew in the large overhead doors on the exhibition building. Falling power poles also damaged the building’s roof and knocked over a nearby flagpole.

“We were more in clean up mode than fair prep,” McGuire said.

In the office, workers who would typically be confirming entertainment, food concessions and commercial exhibits were without power for three days while waiting for generators to be hooked up.

“They were trying to make all the contacts and connections and all the things that happen while making the arrangements for everybody who is participating in the fair,” he said. “All that stuff was a little more difficult.”

The delay frustrated organizers eager to get everything in order for as many as 100,000 visitors expected during the five-day fair.

“We would typically be getting the grounds ready, getting the buildings ready and doing all the things that we have to arrange for the fair,” manager Ellen Sietmann said.

Instead, the fairgrounds’ four full-time workers, four part-time workers and four teams of electrical repair companies worked to restore full power to the grounds.

Window and door repairs, as well as replacing the flagpole, took place in conjunction with readying animal stalls and primping the grounds.

Full power was restored July 12 and tents started going up just five days later.

Some damage — like that to a roof on the exhibition building — will have to wait until after the fair, McGuire said.