On Tuesday afternoon, August 18, 2026, inside the newly-constructed Whiteside County Fairgrounds Ticket Office, three volunteers displayed their pleasure with new surroundings. Left-to-right, they were Paula Rodriguez, Susan Wilkens, and Tracy Henson.
Member Karl Kovarik stated the Fair Board had been planning a new structure “for two years.” He joined other Board members and some of the persons who made this remarkable renovation possible. Left-to-right in front are Fair Board member Dana Fox; Mike Vegter, wife Kelly Vegter, and grandson Emerson. Behind are members Jon Brackemyer; Brian Ooostenryk, Jr. [hidden]; Mike Wiersema; Rob Vegter; Kovarik.
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Tawny Wiersema took the photograph; she wrote the following.
We are incredibly pleased to share that our Orange Street ticket booth and entrance project is now complete, just in time for the 155th Whiteside County Fair! We want to show our sincere gratitude to several local businesses, who made our long-awaited plans come to life.
🌟 The beautiful centerpiece of our project, our archway signage, was donated by Mike and Kelly Vegter of Vegter Steel, located in Morrison. A special acknowledgment of the employees of Vegter Steel who participated in the design, fabrication, and painting of the sign were Jeff Firch, Chris Snowden, Matt Hoehn, Shawn Frazier, Mike Hook, and Mike McClain.
🌟 Dravis Landscaping of Sterling, IL, laid new concrete and installed the decorative stone pillars of the arch.
🌟 Bontrager Construction of Morrison designed and built the ticket office.
🌟 5 Star Landscape Design of Morrison installed landscaping behind the building.
🌟 Quality Ready Mix of Morrison supplied the concrete.
🌟 River City Fence of Fulton, IL, installed new black chain link fencing and gates.
🌟 JB Electric of Morrison installed the electrical components in the ticket office.
🌟 Whiteside County Fair Board members assisted in project management and labor within several phases of the project.
We hope everyone enjoys this beautiful new addition to our fairgrounds!