Game not only helps plan fair events, he records them

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John M. Steiner / The Sun Ray Game talks about some of the photographs he has taken over the years of the fairgrounds. Game has been on the Stutsman County Fair board for 54 years.

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After more than half a century of fair planning, one director said he’s not ready to hang up his Stutsman County Fair hat.

Of the 112 years of the Stutsman County Fair, Ray Game has served on the board for many of them.

“He’s been here for a lot of them,” said Jim Exner, Fair Board director. “Darn near half of them.”

Game joined the board in 1955 after five Fair Board members died. The fair needed leadership and experience, Game said. Without them, the fair couldn’t operate at all. Back then, Game lacked experience.

“Nobody knew exactly what to do,” he said.

But now, as the longest-serving director in Stutsman County Fair Board history, Game helps plan concession stands, entertainment and racing for upcoming years. Other Fair Board members say he also records the history of the previous ones.

As part of his role as historian, Game developed a pictorial display exhibiting photos from fairs as old as 1960.

“I just thought the public would like it, to see them,” he said.

The images, mostly black and white, depict the grandstand’s 4 a.m. move from McElroy Park to the current fairgrounds.

The board held the fair at McElroy Park until the early 1960s.

His photos also show the grandstands in 1962 when a windstorm blew them over. While contractors worked to renovate them, a thunderstorm damaged them again, he said.

Two of the photos are taken from the same location, but 45 years apart.

In addition to historical information, Game also knows and remembers tips and words of wisdom from fair’s past.

One of his tidbits includes the importance of lines at a fair. Where traffic stops is good, Game said, because it attracts interest.

Game said he’s up for re-election this year, but if the board will have him, he’ll continue to serve.

“As long as I’m physically able to do it,” he said.

Sun reporter Katie Ryan can be reached at 701-952-8454 or by e-mail at kryan@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, stutsman county, ray game, community, fair