Longtime Fair Manager Retires | Community Spirit

The states largest county fair said goodbye to its longtime fair manager over the weekend.

Elmer Reseland has been with Steele County Fair for 17 years but announced his retirement following this year's fair.

He began as the fair's concession manager in his first year and spent the last 16 years as its manager.

Under Reseland, attendance at the fair has gone up dramatically from 164,436 in 1995 to 306,597 in 2011.

Reseland says seeing all the smiling faces at the fair is what gave him the most satisfaction over the 17 years.