Despite losing funding from the county in 2010, the Mower County Fair Board is refusing to reduce quality.

Quantity, on the other hand, may not be as high as in other years. Mower County Fair board member Ken Trom spoke to the Mower County Board of Commissioners Tuesday during the county board meeting to update them on this summer’s fair.

“One thing we really refused to give in on is quality,” Trom said.

The 2010 Mower County Fair is scheduled for Aug. 10 through Aug. 15. Like past years, Trom said the fair will still have free admission.

With the county struggling to balance the budget, all funding to the fair board was cut for this year. Despite the difficult economy, Trom said individuals are supporting the fair by seeking sponsorships.

“We are surviving, not much more than that,” he said.

After fair season, Trom and the board are looking to keep the fairgrounds active. Trom and the county board spoke highly of the Minnesota Junior Spring Classic livestock show, which was held April 17 and 18 at the fairgrounds.

“It’s a class act,” he said. “I wish we could get another dozen of them in town.”

In fact, Trom is trying to do just that. He said the fair board is partnering with the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Holiday Inn in an effort to attract more similar events. Together, they’ve been going through a book listing thousands of associations across Minnesota to attract certain ones to hold events at the fairgrounds.