OUR STORY
1970
The Preble County Pork Festival, as we know it today, was born in 1970 when the committee that organized Farm-City Day (the precursor of the Pork Festival) met to discuss ways to improve or redefine the annual event. It was decided that a grand Pork Festival celebrating Preble County’s proud pork-producing industry and history was the way to go.
For inspiration, a group of locals visited a pork festival in Tipton, Indiana, and brought back lots of great ideas to get our own pork festival moving in the right direction. The rest is, as they say, history!
Team Tipton
• Paul L. Gerstner, County Extension Agent, Agriculture
• George Cummings, Conservationist with the Preble Soil and Water Conservation District
• Tim H. Miller, Editor of the Register-Herald
• Herb Tinstman, Manager of the Federal Land Bank Association of Eaton; first Preble County Pork Festival Chairman and Executive Vice President of the Board of Directors
1975
In honor of former Preble County Extension Agent, Wilbur Bruner, Bruner Arena was constructed. Today Bruner Arena is used during the Preble County Fair to house the swine department. During the Pork Festival Bruner Arena is used to house the education aspect of the festival.
Wilbur Bruner, who later became a swine specialist with The Ohio State University cooperative Extension Service), we have been known as The Home of Swine Improvement in America. The early efforts of Bruner and participating local farmers helped bring leaner, higher-quality, more nutritious pork to the world.
In 1978, the Festival enclosed the swine barns off the back in of the Bruner Arena.
1979
The festival financed the electrical distribution system for the fairgrounds.
1984
Two Pavilion-Type Building were constructed on 27-acre tract of land on Wayne Trace Road
1989-91
A sanitary sewer truck line was constructed and installed throughout the fairgrounds.
1992-1995
In 1992, a festival storage building was build and another building on the fairground was refurbished for a kitchen facility.
In 1994, an addition was added to provided meeting and office space along with an expanded restroom facilities. The addition was completed in 1995.
2003-2004
Construction began in 2002 on the Expo Building. Once it was finished in 2004, the Preble County Fair housed its beef cattle department in the barn. That same year, the festival began using the building for vendors, along with selling some of the festivals foods.
2009
Blacktop was repaved between the Toney Building and the Country Store. Phase two of concrete was poured in the Expo Building.
2015
Concreted the floor of Building 1.
2016
Financed road improvements and the transformer for the rabbit show barn.
2017
Financed electrical upgrades to the fairground.
2018
Continued financed electrical upgrades to the fairground and office furniture for the Senior Fair Office.
2019
Committed $50,000 to the Expo addition. Financed lighting upgrade to the Expo.
GIVING BACK
To date, the Festival has donate over $2 million dollars back to Preble County over the last 50 years.
See the table below for the full list to date of fairground improvement projects.
| YEAR | FAIR GROUND PROJECT | COST | TOTAL INVESTMENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Construction of Bruner Arena | $135,267.00 | $135,267.00 |
| 1978 | Enclosed Swine Barn | $3,745.00 | $139,012.00 |
| 1979 | Electrical Distribution System | $67,256.00 | $206,268.00 |
| 1983 | Fairground Improvements | $15,155.00 | $221,423.00 |
| 1984 | Two Pavilion-Type Buildings | $66,222.00 | $287,645.00 |
| 1984 | Bought 28 Acres of Land on Wayne Trace Road | $105,693.00 | $393,338.00 |
| 1987 | Sewer Project | $6,243.00 | $399,581.00 |
| 1988 | Electrical Improvements | $6,299.00 | $405,880.00 |
| 1989-91 | Sanitary Sewer System | $178,621.00 | $584,501.00 |
| 1992 | Storage Building | $35,460.00 | $619,961.00 |
| 1994-95 | Restrooms at Bruner Arena | $157,586.00 | $777,547.00 |
| 1996 | Replace Roof/Insulation/New Vents at Bruner Arena - Painted Buildings | $25,481.00 | $803,028.00 |
| 1997-98 | Fairground Building Maintenance | $20,360.00 | $823,388.00 |
| 1999 | Drinking Fountain - 2 New Buildings | $83,421.00 | $906,809.00 |
| 2001 | Paint for Buildings - Road Chip-n-Seal | $20,932.00 | $927,741.00 |
| 2002 | Various Maintenance Projects (Electricial) | $13,000.00 | $940,741.00 |
| 2003-04 | Construction of Preble County Expo Center | $665,000.00 | $1,605,741.00 |
| 2004-14 | Retirement of Debt on Expo Center | N/A | $1,605,741.00 |
| 2009 | Concrete Expo Center Floor (Phase 2) | $90,000.00 | $1,695,741.00 |
| 2009 | Blacktop between Toney Building & Country Store | $3,000.00 | $1,698,741.00 |
| 2015 | Concrete Barn #1 | $31,183.00 | $1,729,924.00 |
| 2016 | Road Improvements and Transformer | $9,119.00 | $1,739,043.00 |
| 2017 | Electrical Upgrades to Fairgrounds | $5,000.00 | $1,744,043.00 |
| 2018 | Electrical Upgrades, Office Furniture | $10,000.00 | $1,754,043.00 |
| 2019 | Expo Addition | $50,000.00 | $1,804,043.00 |
| 2022 | Restroom Repairs, Painted Pit Structure, Deep Clean Powerwash Bruner & Sheep Barn, Grandstand Cleanup | $7,000.00 | $1,811,043.00 |
Informational Brochure
For more information about the Pork Festival, please see our informational brochure. This brochure contains information about the history, our founders and additional information concerning the festival.
*Please note, some information maybe outdated contained within the brochure