Growth prompts SCFF to look for assistant manager

“It’s a fun problem to have.”

That’s how Steele County Free Fair Manager Scott Kozelka summed up his next task: hiring an assistant fair manager.

“Our fair is big,” he said, “and it’s gotten a lot bigger with a lot more going on. Our off-season events have grown tremendously, and all the different things the fair is involved in with our community throughout the year, with different events … We’re just looking at having some help.”

Until now, he’s been a one-man show, with two part-time employees in the office. The staff bumps up a bit in the summer, with a grounds crew; about five or six more people are hired during the week of the fair.

“It’s just a new member of our team,” Kozelka said. “It’s a working team, a fun team, and we’re able to have that passion and drive for something that’s different. Every day is a new adventure – from national acts to free acts, to vendors, to what we don’t have and what we need – and we’ve gotten to that point that we need somebody else to share some of the duties and responsibilities.”

It’s something that’s been on the radar of the SCFF Board of Directors for a while, said Dan Deml, president of the board.

“We had a really good fair this year, and thought it would be cost-effective to do this,” he said. “It will help move the fair forward.”

He also cited the off-season events, which he said require ongoing, frequent attention.

“Somebody’s got to be around for that,” Deml said. “Scott found himself being on call just about every weekend, all summer. We’re hoping that an assistant manager could help take over some of those off-season responsibilities, so he can focus on fair stuff.”

The fairgrounds has multiple buildings available for rent.

This year, two major projects will also be on the schedule: moving the electrical transmission lines underground and erecting a permanent building for the Steele Saloon.

Managing those moving parts and “other, littler things take time away from the normal day-to-day things we do,” Kozelka said, often scuttling any plans for that day.

His assistant will likely be involved in marketing, sales, public relations, speaking to government and civic groups, speaking to vendors, and answering questions for the public.

Some fairs have entire departments devoted to those areas.

“We’re a free fair,” Kozelka said, with more than 400 vendors, “but everything that we do, we have to pay for.

“Fortunately, with our awesome sponsors, our wonderful companies and other people that help us sponsor things, we’re able to do that,” he said.

The SCFF is billed as the largest county fair in Minnesota.

“Fortunately, in our unique community, it’s a big part of everything we do and everyone’s life,” Kozelka said. “It’s not my fair, it’s not our board’s fair, it’s our county fair.”

The sponsorships are valuable, he emphasized, and will remain a focus.

Because of them, “we don’t charge admission, we have a lot of free entertainment … We want to keep doing things better every year and keep growing it and hoping that our county and all of our guests have a good time.”

Kozelka said he looks forward to being able to “lead somebody else that I can pass on some of the things that I’ve learned and continue to learn together.”

While he will someday hand over the reins, he’s not going anywhere yet.

“Being the face of the Steele County Free Fair has been a great honor for me,” Kozelka said. “I want to keep that going, but I also want to make sure I’m not missing anything, because there’s so many things to do here. That shows us that we’re doing the right thing.”