All week long, I saw parents, grandparents and kids working side by side to make the fair possible. It was a beautiful reminder that the fair truly is, and always has been, a family affair.

Our farm families set the tone. I saw kids proudly caring for animals they’ve been raising for months, with parents and grandparents nearby, offering guidance and encouragement. These moments were about so much more than competition. They were about teaching responsibility and the value of hard work. These are lessons that will carry on long after the fair is over.

Then there were the vendor families, many of whom have been with us for generations. I love hearing their stories of how a stand started with grandparents, and now the grandchildren are the ones working at the counters. These families didn’t just serve food or provide a service. They served tradition, keeping alive the flavors and experiences we all look forward to year after year.

And I won’t forget the families who supported the fair in less visible ways. From volunteering in parking lots, to working at the admission gates, to putting in long hours behind the scenes, they made the fair run smoothly. Many of these families gave their time without recognition, driven by nothing more than pride in their community.

Vickie Micheau

What I cherish most is that spirit of togetherness. The fair isn’t just an event — it’s a labor of love that families pour themselves into. Watching generations come together to build something bigger than themselves is what makes the U.P. State Fair so special.

And finally, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the families of our own chamber and U.P. State Fair team. They are the ones who patiently supported us through long hours and late nights, who encouraged us when we were exhausted, and who quietly stepped in to help with the tasks that kept everything running smoothly at home making it possible for us to give our best to the fair.

On a personal note, I am deeply grateful to my own family for their loving support and encouragement during fair week — the busiest and fastest week of the summer! Their patience and kindness gave me the strength to do this work I love, and I couldn’t do it without them.

Looking back, the 2025 U.P. State Fair will be remembered not just for the livestock and grandstand shows, the food or the midway lights but for the families who made it all happen. That’s the true heartbeat of the fairgrounds.