The Kent County Youth Agricultural Association held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 12 to open the new permanent home of the Kent County Youth Fair.
The Grand Agricultural Center of West Michigan, located on Cascade Road in Lowell Township, held the ceremony to introduce the community to the new facility. More than 400 people came to the ceremony in spite of an on and off downpour of rain to tour the new facilities and celebrate with ice cream. Youth members representing different age divisions were on hand to perform the ribbon cutting.
After outgrowing the former youth fair location in the City of Lowell and struggling through recurring flooding, a new home for the fair was acquired in 2018 when the KCYAA purchased 140 acres of the former Deer Run Golf Course.
The Grand Agricultural Center of West Michigan, also known as “The Grand,” is making its long-awaited debut as the new fairgrounds for the Kent County Youth Fair which runs from July 30-Aug. 5. The fair draws about 50,000 people each year and is expected to grow with the new facilities.
The new buildings include two horse barns, an outdoor horse arena, a covered show pavilion, a practice horse arena, and three livestock barns. Other buildings and amenities are expected to be built in the future to make the facilities available year round.
Bill Zaske, president of the KCYAA, said the new fairground is a gift to our future. “Miracles happen every year – Whether it’s a new experience for youth, whether it’s meeting new people, trying new things, or just learning to become a responsible citizen,” he said. “So this land is being dedicated to that purpose.”
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