Wis. Stat. § 93.23 — WI Code / Chapter 93 / Section 93.23
Local fairs.
Status: in_force

(1) State aid to county fairs and agricultural societies. State aid appropriated by s. 20.115 (4) (b) to counties and agricultural societies, associations or boards shall be paid subject to the following conditions:

(a)

1. To each county, and any organized agricultural society, association, or board in the state that complies with the requirements of this section, 95 percent of the first $8,000 paid in net premiums and 70 percent of all net premiums paid in excess of $8,000 at its annual fair upon livestock, articles of production, educational exhibits, agricultural implements and tools, domestic manufactures, mechanical implements, and productions, but not more than $20,000 per fair, subject to equitable prorating if the total amount due exceeds the amount available and to all of the following:

a. No single premium paid shall exceed the sum of $35 to a single person, or $75 for any town or other group premium.

b. No fair, association, or board shall receive state aid unless its premium list, entry fees, and charges conform to uniform premium lists and other rules established under subd. 2. , both as to premiums offered, amounts to be paid, entry fees to be charged, and all other charges for exhibiting.

2. In order to have a more equitable distribution of state aid among fairs and to effect wider participation and interest by the public in exhibits, the department may prescribe uniform premium lists setting forth classes of exhibits which will be approved for the purposes of state aid, premium awards in such classes and entry qualifications, fees and charges for exhibitors. All fairs shall receive aid in the same manner and the department may not restrict the number of fairs at which an exhibitor may participate and be eligible to receive state-aided premium awards, except that an entity operating a fair may impose restrictions on the total number of fairs at which an exhibitor may participate in order to be eligible for premium awards for exhibits at that fair.

(b) Except as provided in par. (c) , state aid shall be paid on the premiums awarded at only one fair in each county. If the county conducts a fair such state aid shall be paid to the county. If the county does not conduct a fair such state aid shall be paid to the one society, board or association which conducts a fair and is designated by the county board.

(c) All societies, boards and associations which received state aid in 1950 shall continue to remain eligible therefor so long as they continue to operate a fair each year in conformity with the applicable law and the regulations.

(e) Not later than 30 days after the close of the fair each year the county clerk, or the person appointed to file the statements under this paragraph by the county board, agricultural society, association, or board claiming state aid, shall file with the department, on forms provided by the department, an itemized statement verified on oath, showing net premiums actually paid or to be paid at the preceding fair, which must correspond with uniform premium lists and other requirements under par. (a) . The statement shall also include a statement that at the fair all gambling devices whatsoever, the sale of intoxicating liquors, excepting fermented malt beverages, as defined in s. 125.02 (6) , and wine, as defined in s. 125.02 (22) , and exhibitions of immoral character were prohibited and excluded from the fairgrounds and all adjacent grounds under the authority or control of the county board, agricultural society, association, or board claiming state aid. On or before the January 31 following the year in which the fair is held, the person filing the statements under this paragraph shall furnish the department a finance report of receipts and disbursements, attendance, and any other information that the department requires. Upon receipt of the required report, each fair shall be paid 100 percent, or the prorated percentage, of the aid due the preceding year.

(f) If it appears from such report, and the department is satisfied that such county agricultural fairs have been maintained pursuant to the rules and regulations prescribed by it, and that the premiums are the net amount actually paid or to be paid in cash to bona fide exhibitors, it shall provide the payment of state aid in favor of each such county agricultural society, association or board the amounts due under the provisions of par. (a) . If it appears from any such report that any premiums have been paid to other than bona fide exhibitors, or that premiums have been paid or used in any way contrary to the intent of this subsection, then the department may withhold payment of such state aid until suitable adjustment is made.

(g) The department may visit and inspect, when necessary, the records, grounds, buildings, or other property of any society, association, or board receiving state aid under this subsection, and it shall have access to the grounds, buildings, and records at all times.

(i) Incorporated dairy or livestock associations, upon substantial compliance with pars. (a) to (g) , shall be entitled to the state aid therein provided for upon premiums paid for dairy products or livestock or upon articles pertaining to the production or manufacture of such products or the raising of such livestock, in any county in which no annual fair is held by any organized agricultural society, association, or board. State aid shall be paid to but one such dairy or livestock association in any one county. All moneys received by any such association shall be paid out by it for the premiums provided for in this subsection substantially as provided in sub. (2) .

(2) Use of funds. Subject to sub. (1) , all moneys received by any such society, association or board, either from the state or any other source, after paying the necessary incidental expenses thereof, shall be paid out annually, by bank check or draft, in each individual case, for premiums awarded, in such sums as its bylaws, rules and regulations shall direct, on such live animals, articles of production, educational exhibits, agricultural implements and tools, domestic manufactures, mechanical implements and productions as are the growth and manufacture of the district which such society, association or board represents, but livestock, the growth of any other county, state or country, may receive the same premiums as those which are the growth of the district where fair is located, should the society, association or board governing so decide. Provided, that moneys received by any such society, association or board from a source other than from the state, may be paid out for trials or exhibitions of speed, or other contests, for which published premiums have been offered.

(3) Entry fee to exhibit may be charged. Any board, fair association, society or other agency conducting an agricultural fair or exhibition may charge an entry fee for each exhibit.

(4) Police power. A county agricultural society has full jurisdiction and control of the grounds on which the society may exhibit, and all the streets and alleys and other grounds adjacent to the grounds during exhibitions, so far as may be necessary to exclude from there all other exhibitions, booths, stands or other temporary places for the retail or sale of any kind of alcohol beverages or other articles that they deem objectionable. The president of any such society, or, in the president’s absence, any vice president, may appoint necessary police officers to assist in preserving the peace and enforcing the regulations upon the ground and adjacent streets, who, for this purpose, shall have all the powers of a constable and be entitled to similar fees.

(7) False premium list or statement. No officer of any organized agricultural society, association or board in this state, in pretended compliance with sub. (1) , shall willfully make or file any false or fraudulent list or statement.

(8) Penalties. Any person violating this section may be fined not more than $200 or imprisoned not more than 6 months or both.

History: 1971 c. 125 s. 215 ; 1971 c. 211 s. 126 ; 1975 c. 308 , 421 ; 1981 c. 79 s. 17 ; 1985 a. 10 , 135 ; 1987 a. 283 ; 1989 a. 56 ; 1991 a. 39 ; 1993 a. 492 ; 2001 a. 16 , 104 , 107 ; 2003 a. 33 ; 2007 a. 20 ; 2009 a. 28 ; 2011 a. 129 ; 2013 a. 165 s. 115 ; 2015 a. 207 ; 2023 a. 244 .