Fairly fabulous

Maybe it's the fair weather finally being delivered to July's doorstep, but this feels like as good a time as any to put a spotlight on your Kootenai County Fairgrounds.

The annual fair and rodeo are by far the biggest revenue generators for the non-profit, but as special as those five days are each August, there are another 360 days in the year. So what the heck happens with your fairgrounds then?

That question brings a big ol' grin to Dane Dugan's mug. The man hired last October to replace Chris Holloway has shoulders as broad as his native Montana, and it's a good thing. His job is to help the fairgrounds eventually reach their potential as a viable option for all sorts of events and social gatherings, not just the five days that climatologist Cliff Harris anticipates more eagerly than any other annual occasion.

You can read more about Dugan, who is today's featured In Person on the cover of the Lifestyles section of your paper. He'll give you some insight into why yesterday wasn't just another day of maintenance at the fairgrounds, preparing for the really big show in August. Instead, on the heels of a quilt show last weekend that attracted almost 3,000 people, the fairgrounds were bustling yesterday with Bikes, Brews & BBQs. Next weekend? Dugan & Co. will host the Bead Stampede. And the beat goes on with lots of fun stuff between now and the North Idaho Fair & Rodeo, Aug. 21-25.

With strong encouragement from his board of directors, Dugan is putting his vision of a year-round events center into play. From small weddings to large rallies and with a central location and parking that can accommodate 6,000 vehicles, Dugan has plenty to sell. Between the fairgrounds, existing private businesses that cater to events, and talk of a multi-million dollar event center at Riverstone or elsewhere in the Coeur d'Alene area, the stage is set for lots of discussion and debate about addressing the challenges and opportunities before the community.

With Dugan at the helm, it's likely that the fairgrounds will be a major player in the events game. And that bodes well for far more than five fine fair days.