Holmes BDD making a big impact on and at the fair

Starting this year, the Holmes County Fair is expanding accessibility for attendees with disabilities. Since the construction of the new fairground facilities, accessibility has been prominently featured.

If you’ve ever pushed a stroller or wheelchair at the fair, you’ve noticed how easy it is to enter or exit buildings because there are no steps. Another important accessibility feature is the restrooms, which meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The addition of the Be You Livestock Show five years ago brought the opportunity for Holmes County residents with special needs to exhibit animals on the final day of the fair.

In 2024 additional features are planned to improve the fair experience for even more people.

Using grant dollars, the Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities has provided a universal changing table to be housed in the family restroom of the Humrichouser Agricultural Building.

This changing table provides a safe and clean way for people with disabilities to have their personal care needs met. This table has been given to Harvest Ridge and also will be available at future events.

Many people with sensory-related issues would love to ride on amusement rides but find the lights and music to be overwhelming. Staff from Holmes BDD asked the fair board to work with the company providing rides to provide a time when the lights and music will be off.

This year on Thursday from noon to 2 p.m., there will be no lights or music on the rides. Families with loved ones who struggle with sound and/or lights are encouraged to ride the rides Thursday afternoon.

Lastly, if you’ve been to the fair, you know there is a lot going on. Sometimes it can be just too much to bear, and people with sensory issues need a place to get away. To meet this need, Holmes BDD is providing a quiet space for children and adults who simply need a quiet place to relax and calm themselves before rejoining the festivities.

If this is something you or a family member may need, look for Holmes BDD’s gray tent near the CSB Stage on the Green. The tent will be open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will provide a comfortable place to rest with safe sensory toys, and each visitor will receive a sensory item to take with them.

Holmes BDD Superintendent Marianne Mader said Holmes BDD is proud to partner with the Holmes County Agricultural Society and Harvest Ridge to bring their vision to life creating a community where everyone belongs.