Kansas State Fair - Public Typography

ALL IS

FAIR

KANSAS STATE FAIR

PUBLIC TYPOGRAPHY

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ALL IS

FAIR

KANSAS STATE FAIR

PUBLIC TYPOGRAPHY

K y li e No r t o n

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In the sleepy town of Hutchinson, Kansas this is as big as it gets.

The fair comes every September for two weeks of lit up, deep fried joy. People from all over Kansas flock to this small town to attempt to see everything the fair has to offer. Giant pumpkins, carnival rides, vendors selling everything you never knew you needed, butter sculptures, and any food you could imagine dipped in batter and deep fried; the fair is more than anybody could take in at once.

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“ It’s just part of the hype leading up to this year’s fair.

The new food lineup almost as anticipated as who is going to perform on the grandstand stage.”

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CHAPTER 1

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“The Kansas State Fair will again this year offer crispy concoctions that must be tasted to be believed: deep-fried pumpkin spice Oreos and deep fried, bacon wrapped pickles among them.”

DEEP FRIED BLISS The food vendors

attract people to

their booths with signs of bright, vibrant colors.

These huge signs read off the various foods that they sell to satisfy anyones cravings or sweet tooth.

Many of the typefaces used are highly ornamented and when combined with all of the other signs in the area, create an overwhelming yet stunning effect.

This overwhelming effect doesn’t just stop at the eyes, but it also continues all the way to the taste buds. Foods like deep-fried cookie dough, Krispy Kreme burgers, and Cheese Curds are the delicacies that fair goers crave when they walk in the state fair gates. This kind of signage overload is what many come to the state fair to see, and it’s part of the state fair experience.

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Pronto Pups

is a food vendor that

is considered one of the most traditional food stalls at the fair. Its bright yellow stands and seemingly dancing logo is an iconic part of the Kansas State Fair. The bouncing letter forms are easily recognizable and draw people in to get a steaming corn dog each year. The letterforms go against restricting base lines and cap heights to create fun and energized identity that makes the Pronto Pup unique.

History of the Pronto Pup The first Pronto Pup was created in the 1930’s by George and Versa Boyington as a cleaner and less soggy way to serve a hot dog on a bun. Then fast forward to 1961 and the rights to the Pronto Pup in the state of Kansas were sold to Dick Yoder. Today Pronto Pups are one of the most popular foods at the fair and draw

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thousands into their stands each year.

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Wh e n i t c o me s t o wa l ki n g - a ro u n d f o o d a t t h e K a ns a s S t a t e Fa i r, th e P r o nt o P u p i s s t i l l t h e t o p d o g .�

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Food vendors vary greatly on

are hand-painted with bright colors

the fair grounds. Some, like the Pronto

and others are so bright that you can

Pup, are permanent stalls that are there

see them from another one of the fair-

year round, but only sell their food in

ground’s streets. Many people come

the two week duration of the fair. Oth-

from all across the state to have that

er food vendors are more nomadic and

special food that they have been crav-

jump from state fair to state fair to sell

ing all year long. No matter what you

their tasty treats. The signs seem to be

are craving, whether it be sweet, salty,

competing with one another for who

or greasy, the brightly colored illumi-

can be the most eye catching. Many are

nated signs will help you quickly find

lined with hundreds of lights and many

exactly what is going to hit the spot.

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The old timey feel

of the signs

are apparent and created by the painstaking effort put into the countless hand painted signs.

Many of these hand painted signs have been around for decades and are visually an important part of the fair’s identity. They are eye catching in both their color as well as loud, rule breaking lettering that adds a personal quality to the fairgrounds.

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It is impossible to take even a few steps without being overwhelmed with varying signage at the fair.

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CHAPTER 2

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SHE’S GOT A TICKET TO RIDE Day or night, the midway never fails to provide an electric atmosphere. Colorful signs are seen at every corner. Countless lights surround the rides and hand painted signs are everywhere to be seen.

These signs can provide two totally different atmospheres depending on when one is looking at them. During the day the bright colors of the painted signs create a happy and cheery environment that one would expect of a fair. All of the signs vary greatly, especially from ride to ride, and they all combine to be

over-

whelming, but in a fun and exciting way. On the other hand, if one sees these signs after dark, they are lit up by countless bulbs and can be seen from miles away. The same overwhelming sense is still present, but the midway looks vastly different after the sun goes down and the moon comes up.

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This ride, The Cuckoo Cuckoo House, is one of the fun houses in the fair. Riders go through the house and try not to let the many surprises in the house trip them up.

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The Orbiter takes you up and down in a constant spinning motion. It’s like your stomach is being spun in circles on each go-round. If you happen to face the ride’s strobe lights when they go off, the effect is only magnified.”

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“[J. B. Holdren] always knew in his mind exactly how [a sign] would turn out.

His perception on what size a sign should be amazed me. He always needed to know where it was going to be displayed to make sure the lettering was large enough to be seen from a distance. Most of his lettering incorporated some outlining or shading, and a circus art style. Most of his signs bring a smile because of the design or unique lettering or unusual description such as ‘It’ll tickle your taste buds!!’”

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One of the most classic rides

at the fair

would be Ye Old Mill. Unlike most of the rides at the state fair, this one is a permanent ride that stays at the fair all year long, but is only open during the two weeks of the fair. It is a classic haunted boat ride that features plenty of scares. While the outside signage may seem lively and even cheery, the signs change in tone when you enter. The signs begin to change into a spookier style that goes along with the skeletons and creaky boats inside.

J. B. Holdren or Bardo as many fair goers knew him, was one of the most well known sign painters at the fair. He lived on the fair grounds and hand painted many of the signs that are still found on the fair grounds every year until he passed in 2013. His work was so prominent at the fair that an exhibition has held on the fair grounds displaying his work and honoring him for all that he did for the fair.

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CHAPTER 3

Carnival games such as these, line

the midway promising seemingly simple wins as an easy way to

walk home victorious with a giant plush in hand.

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The State Fair in Kansas has a unique personality that has developed over the years. Much of this personality that can be seen today while walking down amongst the games on Cottonwood Ave. The fairs of years past are visible in the signage, from the hand painted signs that have been used for decades, or the signage for the rides that are composed of colored lights that light up the midway.

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“One hundred and three years after the first Kansas State Fair welcomed its first fairgoer, this great annual event keeps rolling along, three years into its second century of operation. In the original days of the fair, some of the naysayers doubted that Hutchinson could support an event of this magnitude, but time has proven otherwise.�

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These midway games such as the Bowler Roller vary in price and prizes, but always come with a challenge.

Carnival games such as these line the midw 30

promising seemingly simple wins as an eas

way to walk out of the fair victorious with a giant plush in hand.

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sy

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The typefaces and hand painted letters used are inspired by traditional fair signs. Many of these signs follow a common identity that can be seen all over the fair grounds. Stylistically these signs all look spontaneous and very humanistic. The hand painted script seen on these boards makes the signs seem more friendly and adds to the fair’s welcoming and old fashioned environment.

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As well as the traditional midway games, you can also take time at the fair to watch competitions.

Some of these competitions include Pig Races, animal judgings and even a celebrity goat milking contest. There is always something to see at the fair even if you don’t want to hand over your money for tricky midway games.

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“ There are nearly 60 games on the midway... For some games – like tossing a football into a goal and throwing darts at balloons – everyone is a winner. But as the stuffed animals get bigger, the games are more challenging.”

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At the end of the week,

the rides, booths and stands

are packed up. Everyone goes home tired, but with plenty of food in their stomachs and plenty of fun memories to look back on. While it might be sad to go home, everyone knows that next September they will have the chance to do it all over again.

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“ But what we can expect is for the state fair to return to Hutchinson next year, bringing smiles to children, prizes to pie-makers, and reminding us what wonderful people Kansans really are.�

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Special thanks to Nyrna Kelley and Joan Brown for their help in compiling information for this project.

Photos shot on Nikon CoolPix L830.

Typefaces used include Serifa and Bau Designer as Author, Patrick Dooley, Fall 2014, The University of Kansas.

Works Cited The Wichita Eagle Hutchinson News The Topeka Capitol Journal The Kansas State Fair Joan Brown

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