Tulsa State Fair Preparations Begin At Expo Square

Thursday, crews were working hard to get ready for this year's Tulsa State Fair. It takes weeks to map out booths for the vendors and set up everything at the fairgrounds. 

Pam Rist spent the day inside the expo building mapping out the area for the booths. “As I get closer to my 20-foot mark I start slowing down," said Rist. She started working for Midwest Decorating when she was 21 and nearly 30 years later she's still out at the fairgrounds doing the prep work for Tulsa's State Fair. “Measure every square and put a tape down on the floor with a number on it so everybody knows where their booth is at," said Rist.

She started the groundwork for her team to come in and put up curtains for more than 400 booths. “I’m marking out. I’m doing each corner and I put a dot here on the corners.” The upper level takes her three days to map out. Rist and her team are part of nearly 1,500 employees who help run the fall event and they're excited about some new things coming this year. “A great new ground show. We’ve got the jetpack flying circus. We also have the inspire circus and I’m confident we’ll have plenty of new foods to try as well," said Amanda Blair.

Blair and Rist said fair food is at the top of their lists but making sure families have fun is their top priority. “You know it’s a big job but it just feels good to be apart of something so big. Something that is important to the community and to Tulsa and just something that everybody can come out and enjoy.”