Fair Board Cuts Ribbon on Center, Auctions Off Rooster Statues
CANFIELD, Ohio – The Canfield Fair Board had a lot to crow about Thursday.
The fair board held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate new additions to the Michael Kusalaba Fund of the Youngstown Foundation Event Center at the fairgrounds and auctioned off 21 rooster statues that were part of the Flock to the Fairgrounds public art display.
Construction of the 35,000-square-feet building was completed in 2020 at a cost of approximately $3.2 million. The second phase of the project, which included the lobby, restroom area and classrooms, was completed recently at a cost of approximately $1.3 million.
“We are very excited to honor Michael Kusalaba’s legacy with the joy and the achievement and the memories this landmark building will represent for hundreds of children and families for years to come,” said Lynnette Forde, president of The Youngstown Foundation. “We are also so proud to be part of the Canfield Fairgrounds, where the fair board continues to make tremendous investments and improvements.”
The Flock to the Fairgrounds public art project was designed to celebrate 175 years of Canfield Fair traditions, promote the arts and raise money for the Canfield Fair Foundation. Twenty-one rooster statues were sponsored by local businesses and painted by local artists selected through a jury process.
The statues made their debut at the 2021 Canfield Fair and were to be auctioned off that year, but the event was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pictured at top: From left are Mahoning County commissioners Carol Rimedio-Righetti and Anthony Traficanti; Ted Schmidt and Marty Bushy of the Youngstown Foundation Distribution Committee; Lynnette Forde, president of The Youngstown Foundation; Bob Jarvis, Canfield Fair Board president; Mary Ann (Kusalaba) Huwig; Ray Kusalaba; Dave Mannion, fair board vice president; Ward Campbell, Canfield Fair Board past president; and Frank Paden, fair board treasurer.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
