Mike Wolanin | The Republic A view of the Tony Stewart Speedway and livestock barn at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, June 22. 2023.
The Bartholomew County Fair Board is preparing several festivities at new camping facilities to welcome next month’s solar eclipse. The natural phenomenon is scheduled to take place just after 3 p.m. on Monday, April 8, with the sky darkening for almost four minutes.
An agreement has been reached with the Garage Pub & Grill, located in downtown Columbus, to operate a beer garden at specific times from April 5-9, fair board vice-president Shelby Case said.
To add to the festive atmosphere, a disc jockey from Matty O. Entertainment has been hired while efforts are underway to book live bands for the event, Case said.
Some food vendors already recruited include Deb’s Cheddar Wagon, Covered Bridge Bar-b-que and Always Fresh homemade doughnuts and pretzels, she said.
If the weather permits it, most activities will take place inside the livestock barn that will be spruced up extensively for the event. The barn was chosen because it has the largest capacity to house both activities and patrons, Case said.
However, the event may be moved into one of the fairground’s climate-controlled buildings in case of inclement weather, the fair board vice-president said.
For more than 35 years, a lack of funding had been cited as the reason why sanitary sewer service, electrical pedestals and water upgrades were not installed at the fairgrounds. But that changed when Bartholomew County received more than $16 million to help the area recover from the 2020 pandemic.
The county spent $100,000 of those federal funds into creating full-service campsites inside the 80-acre fairgrounds south of Garden City.
After the improvements were completed last spring, the full-service campsites were used by carnival workers during the annual 4-H Fair, by families of athletes participating in tournaments at nearby Dunn Stadium, and by those who attend annual events like the Columbus Scottish Festival, Case said. Efforts are expected to continue to make the 80-acre fairgrounds south of Garden City a popular destination for campers and RV owners, she said.
Each camping site is at least 80-feet long and 50-feet wide. It will accommodate pulling through or backing in, with space for approximately three vehicles, the fairgrounds website states.
Prices for the 100 full-service sites will be $45 a night, while the over 95 primitive camp sites will cost $35 a night, Case said. There will be two central bathrooms, including one with showers, with potable water available in multiple locations, the website states.
More than half of the camping sites have already been reserved, but Case anticipates many families will wait until the week before the eclipse to avoid camping during a rainy period.
Sites will be assigned on the day of arrival. If there is a group with multiple campers that want to be together, contact the Rental Manager from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday at 812-372-6133.
Check-in time is 10 a.m. Signs will direct campers to check-in routes on the north, west or south sides of the fairgrounds, and parking attendants will be available to direct campers to the correct site, the website states.
For more details, call 812-372-6133. Camping sites can be booked online by going to bartholomewcountyfair.com
