KDOT celebrates 25 years at Kansas State Fair

State fair: The 2017 Kansas State Fair marks the 25th consecutive year KDOT has participated in the annual event to help educate and serve the public. This year’s fair will run from Sept. 8-17 and attracts about 335,000 attendees annually.

KDOT Employees unload supplies this week that will be used for the duration of the State Fair.

Records show that KDOT had a booth at various times until 1976. In 1993, Anita Helt, former Chief of the Public Affairs Office, thought it was important for KDOT to have a presence at the state fair again. Informational Specialist Kim Stich in Topeka and Senior Engineering Technician John Wiens in the District Five Office worked together the first year and have been working on it together ever since. 

In this photo from 2010, KDOT employees unload supplies from the dump truck that would be used for the 10 days of the fair.

The first two years, Wiens drove a minivan up to pick up supplies for the booth. That quickly was increased to a dump truck to hold up to 120 cases of state maps, thousands of promotional items and various brochures. It takes six to 10 KDOT staff up to three days to unload the supplies, set up backdrops and prepare for visitors.

KDOT's booth has been in four different locations in the Eisenhower Building on the fairgrounds. Every year, KDOT employees work to organize all the supplies, set up the back drops and set up the tables.

The first two years, Wiens drove a minivan up to pick up supplies for the booth. That quickly was increased to a dump truck to hold up to 120 cases of state maps, thousands of promotional items and various brochures. It takes six to 10 KDOT staff up to three days to unload the supplies, set up backdrops and prepare for visitors.

The KDOT booth has always been in the Eisenhower Building, but it has moved to four different booth locations. It started as a 10-foot by 10-foot booth with little storage. Boxes of supplies had to be brought to the booth each morning. After several years, a safety booth was added and the booths moved to a 20-foot by 15-foot location with storage included behind.

During those 25 years, five Governors of Kansas have served as well as five District Engineers in District Five. The times may change, but the commitment to the Kansas State Fair remains strong. 

KDOT employee John Wiens, in center in green shirt, accepts

a 15-year participation certificate from State Fair staff in 2007.

KDOT employee Pancho Smith talks to people stopping by

the KDOT booth in 2016.

“Over these 25 years, operating the KDOT Kansas State Fair booth has become a proud tradition of District Five,” said District Engineer Brent Tierstriep. “Numerous District staff members, ranging from Shop Mechanics, Engineering Technicians, Equipment Operators, various office staff to District Engineers have manned the booth to interact with the public, represent the agency, answer questions and help people learn about KDOT.”

Stich agreed with Tierstriep. “Bottom line - our KDOT booth is successful because of all the dedicated District Five employees,” she said.

For more information on the fair, go to www.kansasstatefair.com.

Flashback to 1993

While 2017 is the 25th consecutive year KDOT will participate in the Kansas State Fair, many significant events and pop culture moments took place in 1993:

uTy Warner USA launched the first Beanie Babies that created a national craze.

uModern technology was developing with the introduction of the Pentium microprocessor by Intel and the birth of the World Wide Web was born at CERN. 

uThe Waco siege on the compound belonging to the religious group Branch Davidians by American federal and Texas state law enforcement and U.S. military occurred.

uNelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

uFor the first time, Islamic Fundamentalists bomb the World Trade Center.

uThe North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is signed into law by former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

uBlockbuster hits included “Jurassic Park,” “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “The Fugitive,” “The Firm” and “Sleepless in Seattle.” Other popular film favorites included “Free Willy,” “The Sandlot,” “Hocus Pocus” and “Groundhog Day.”

uAverage costs at that time - a gallon of gas, $1.16; a movie ticket, $4.14; a new car, $12,750.00; a loaf of bread, $1.57; and tuition to Harvard University, $23,514.00.

KDOT employees Bob Grand and Sunny McElheny work at the fair booth in 1993. KDOT is
celebrating 25 years of serving and educating Kansas State Fair attendees.