Why Fair Boards Fail Without Clear Roles
“Many hands only make light work if those hands know what they’re supposed to do.”
When One Person Does It All
Not long ago, I spoke with an ag society in Alberta. Their president was doing it all. The board? They showed up to meetings, nodded through reports, and drifted back in when fair season rolled around. By then, it was chaos. The president was scrambling, dictating, and exhausted while directors asked, “So what do you need me to do?”
When a president carries everything, they often feel unsupported. They expect directors to “just know” what to do year after year, but without clear roles, they don’t. And here’s the kicker: somewhere along the way, a director probably did offer a suggestion only to be shut down with a big fat “No, I have a different plan.” That one moment kills creative thinking. People stop speaking up. They stop trying. And slowly, the president becomes even more isolated while the board becomes less engaged.
It reminded me of a fair in BC where the same pattern played out. Their office administrator carried the entire load. Once the fair wrapped up, directors disappeared, and she was left cleaning up alone. That isn’t leadership. That isn’t teamwork. That’s a burnout trap disguised as a fair board. Ha ha, except nobody’s laughing when they’re the ones sweeping the fairgrounds at midnight with raccoons as their only backup crew.
The Hidden Cost of Vague Titles
When directors don’t have defined roles, fairs limp along year after year with fragile systems. The president or admin becomes the default workhorse, while everyone else coasts. It might “get done,” but at a huge cost: exhausted leaders, resentful staff, and volunteers who wonder why they signed up in the first place.
Every fair board needs directors with clear portfolios, not just vague titles. Think about roles like:
- Agriculture
- Entertainment
- Attractions (Midway, raffles, bigger acts like Global FMX)
- Fair Services (gates, food, indoor and outdoor vendors, exhibitors)
- Home and Garden Exhibits
- Public Relations and Marketing
- Grounds and Buildings
The list will flex depending on your fair’s size, but the principle is the same. Each director should have a specific, clearly laid out role that they own from the start of the year to the end of their term. No guessing. No waiting. No excuses.
Because let’s be honest, “Director at Large” sounds nice on paper, but what does it actually mean? Usually nothing.
What Really Happens Without Clarity
Without this clarity, dysfunction creeps in fast:
- Directors wait to be told what to do, instead of thinking for themselves.
- Meetings turn into endless reports from “the one person who does it all.”
- Volunteers lose steam because they don’t feel valued or needed.
- The same hands carry the same load, while others stay on the sidelines.
- Directors learn quickly that speaking up gets them shut down, so they stop offering ideas.
It’s not that people don’t care. Most directors join because they want to help. But without clear roles, they don’t know how to step in. They don’t feel ownership. And without ownership, they don’t stick around.
And here’s the irony: presidents and office admins care more than anyone. They are the glue, the ones holding it all together year after year. But because they carry everything, they unintentionally create a system where the only “help” they get is people standing around waiting to be told what to do. That’s not help. That’s babysitting. And babysitting grown adults? Ha ha, that’s not a succession plan, that’s a nightmare.
The Shift That Changes Everything
When every director owns a portfolio, the entire culture shifts. Suddenly, board meetings aren’t about one person reporting what’s been done. They become about collaboration. Each director brings their own report, their own ideas, and their own updates. Discussions become more productive and less invasive because nobody’s stepping into territory that isn’t theirs.
And here’s an important point: having a role doesn’t mean that director makes all the decisions. It means they come to the table with ideas, updates, and recommendations. Other directors can still suggest and challenge. At the end of the day, decisions are made together, usually by a board vote.
This is also where bylaws and policies should be updated to reflect reality. Don’t panic, it doesn’t all need to be rewritten at once. Start small. Agreements versus expectations is a good place to begin the conversation. That way, everyone knows where responsibility lies, and there’s clarity on how decisions get made.
Even better, directors with clear roles naturally attract their own volunteers. A Grounds director knows exactly what kind of help they need. An Entertainment director can recruit a team to handle stage setup or liaise with performers. A Marketing director can bring in creative people who want to boost visibility.
And the president? They finally get to be what they’re supposed to be, a leader, not a dictator. A guide, not a cleanup crew. And most importantly, not the person doing it all.
Here’s the truth: If your fair is still running on the model where one person carries everything, you don’t have a board. You have a burnout machine. And machines like that don’t run forever. Ha ha, and when they break, it’s usually right before fair weekend when the porta-potties haven’t arrived and someone lost the key to the tractor shed.
When directors have roles, fairs build systems that last. Traditions get protected. Knowledge gets passed on. And volunteers actually want to come back because they know they’re making a difference.
Many hands make lighter work, but only if those hands know where they belong.
Legacy deserves better. And so do you.
Let's Get to Work
Kryssie ❦
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