Officials confident in the safety of the Kanas State Fair stage

September 09, 2011|by Jim Grawe | KWCH

(HUTCHINSON, Kan.) — It takes two days and a lot of people to unload and put together the grandstand stage at the Kansas State Fair.

The stage will host several bands the next couple weeks, attracting thousands of music fans like Chris Bairow and his family.

"I was going to go the Kenny Rogers I think it was that was coming out here," Bairow says.

This place is supposed to be all about fun. But in Indiana last month the fun turned tragic when a storm blew over during a concert and the stage and killed seven people.

"That's crazy man I wouldn't want to be involved in that situation," Bairow says.

The stage design and setup are much different here, however the tragedy in Indiana did force Kansas State Fair officials to pause and re-evaluate exactly how they stage concerts.

"You have festivals and other events all summer long that use these stages so it certainly gave everyone an eye opener, and forced us all to step back and say, alright we need to re-evaluate," fair manager Denny Steckline says.

Steckline says the Kansas stage is safer because its smaller, the giant sound speakers are hung on separate towers...not from the stage top as in Indiana. Also, the stage top here can be lowered should extereme winds become a threat.

"We've met with our stage contractor, we're very comfortable with them," Steckline says. "We've also looked at it because weather was a major element and have put additional steps in place. We have a great relationshp with Reno County emergency management. The state Patrol is here 24-7."

The Kansas State Fair officials say they may be better prepared than most, given the frequent threat of severe weather, and now seeing what can happen when Mother Nature steals the stage at an outdoor concert.

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