ESCANABA — The Upper Peninsula State Fair won two communications awards at the 2020 Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitions Annual Convention held Jan. 9 – 11 in Grand Rapids.

The awards were for the fair’s website and the premium book that serves as the exhibitor’s guide to classes and awards. The fair competed in division 3, which is for the largest fairs in Michigan with attendance greater than 75,000.

Robert Micheau, Visit Escanaba executive director, said the website received honors for being a clean, descriptive, interactive showcase for the fair and its sponsors. “The new site is easier to navigate and allows users to quickly find the exact information they are looking for and suggests other ways they may enjoy their visit to the fair,” he said.

“The 2019 Premium Book is a 110-page document that is distributed to exhibitors and the general public. The guide is the official source for information on shows, services, and exhibits. It also includes a map of the fairgrounds with an overview of the daily schedule,” according to Vickie Micheau, executive director of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce, the managing agency for the U.P. State Fair.

“We were pleased to learn at the 135th annual convention that we received the first-place awards for our entries. We accepted the awards on behalf of the U.P. State Fair Authority in recognition of their commitment to keeping the fair up and running and successful for the past ten years,” Micheau said.

The Michigan Association of Fair and Exhibitions is made up of representatives of all 87 fairs and festivals that take place each year in the state. The organization celebrated its 135th annual convention in Grand Rapids. It promotes the development of agriculture and related industries and coordinates the objectives of fairs and exhibitions across the state.

The 2020 Upper Peninsula State Fair is scheduled for Aug. 17-23.