DARKE COUNTY – The fate of the Band Spectacular at the Great Darke County Fair has prompted supporters of the event to flood recent Fair Board meetings. April’s regular meeting was packed, with band supporters and guests overflowing the meeting space. Windows to the boardroom were opened so those standing outside could still hear the proceedings.
The strong attendance was in response to a vote cast at the March board meeting to move the Band Spectacular from the Monday evening time slot to earlier in the day. This vote included moving a tractor-pulling event to the Monday evening time slot.
Band supporters showed up to the April regular meeting to voice strong opposition to this move, stating that the new time would create too many conflicts, reduce participation, and ultimately jeopardize the event. Jessica Berry, who is the assistant music director at Arcanum High School and the current organizer of the Band Spectacular, gave an emotional statement to the board, imploring them to reconsider this move. She outlined the logistical challenges of change and emphasized the tradition, history, and importance of the band show.
Following public comment, the board agreed to further explore the options at a separate work session dedicated to the issue.
On Tuesday, April 7, 2026 a special work session was held to continue this discussion. The session was held at the Community Building to accommodate the large number of attendees. The Board clarified that this meeting was to discuss possible resolutions, but that nothing would be voted upon at that time. They noted that any official actions would require a special meeting with 24 hours’ public notice and a quorum present.
Board member Craig Bowman apologized for seconding the original motion, explaining that he mistakenly believed band organizers had been included in prior discussions. After learning that Berry had not been consulted in the matter, he stated that he would support rescinding the motion and working towards a solution.
The board stated that they have proposed four alternate time slots for this event and asked whether any of those could serve as a satisfactory compromise. Event coordinator, Jessica Berry, was again in attendance and explained that none of the alternative days and times were viable due to conflicts with school schedules, sports, livestock shows, and family constraints.
“We talked to the other directors and I talked in length about what other possibilities and it’s just not going to work any other day, unfortunately, besides Monday on that evening,” said Berry.
Throughout the session, numerous band members, directors, and parents addressed the board. Emotions ran high as those in attendance explained the importance of the event and expressed their frustration with the board’s decision and the manner in which it was made.
Junior Fair Board President, Danicka Michael, spoke in support of the band, noting that this change would create an unfair dilemma for students who now would be forced to choose between showing their livestock and participating in the band show.
Several individuals pressed the board for financial justification for their decision, noting that it was the board that made the decision to stop charging admission for the band spectacular three years ago and suggested the board reinstate admission fees to improve profitability. The board responded that eliminating admission was an effort to boost attendance to the show. They also noted the difficulty of attributing revenue to a single event, as attendance impacts so many aspects of the fair, namely the revenue from the entrance gates.
After all who wished to speak had been given an opportunity to be heard, the board concluded the work session. Band supporters urged the board to share the meeting discussion with the board members who were not in attendance, asking for assurance that their side would be represented. Band supporters asked what the next step would be and were told that a special meeting would have to be set in order to have a vote on the matter. The board assured that this would be set in a timely manner, as ticket sales and the fair book will need to be corrected if changes are finalized.
