Returning fair vendors say Canfield Fair is a hot spot

CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN) – It’s that time when vendors and exhibitors from massive farm equipment to 4-H animals arrive at the Canfield Fair Fairgrounds ahead of Wednesday’s opening day.

For workers at one of the four Molnar’s sweet roll stands, there’s a lot to be done.

“I have to have 60 pans of eight in the refrigerator tomorrow morning for the opening because we just sell, sell, sell,” said Terry Albenter with Molnar Concessions.

For the next six days, fairgoers will have their pick from more than 1,200 vendor stands, with another 500 animals on display at what is the largest county fair in Ohio and the third largest in the country.

A number of vendors are set up on a route or circuit through the spring, summer and fall months when they travel from one fair or festival to another. Some have stands set up in Canfield and at other fairs as well.

“My family’s been in the business over 70 years, and my father built all the trailers,” said Patty Bates, with Hoover’s Concessions.

There are 10 Hoover’s concession stands at the Canfield Fair and another five operating in Geauga County at the same time. The family has been doing this for generations.

“We have a lot of people that we’ve known for years that actually are friends with, and we have many, many return customers that always look for Hoover’s stands,” Bates said.

Operators are hoping to see a lot of those return customers between now and Labor Day.