LONDON, Ohio – Some of the severe weather that blew through central Ohio late Thursday afternoon swept across the grounds of the Molly Caren Agricultural Center, putting a slight kink in Farm Science Review set-up operations, but not enough to halt the show.
"We are fine," said Farm Science Review assistant manager Matt Sullivan. "We want to assure exhibitors and visitors that the show will start on time on Tuesday."
Farm Science Review, Ohio's premiere agricultural show, will be held Sept. 21-23 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio. Gates open Tuesday at 8 a.m. Organizers have been working all week to get the 83-acre exhibitor grounds ready for the crowds.
Heavy rain and high winds, though short of tornadic conditions, blew over tents, scattered debris and caused some minor damage. But show organizers are working to make sure that the Molly Caren Agricultural Center is in tip-top shape come next week.
This is the second time in two years that Farm Science Review organizers have faced storms days before the big, three-day event. In 2008, remnants of Hurricane Ike blew through the grounds the Sunday before the show with sustained winds of 60 miles per hour. The storm shredded tents, bent tent frames, scattered debris and flattened other structures. Despite the widespread damage, the gates opened on time the day of the show, with no evidence that anything significant had happened.
"We are grateful that damage was minimal at the Molly Caren, but are keeping our colleagues in Wooster in our thoughts as they work through the damage on their campus," said Farm Science Review manager Chuck Gamble. The university's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster sustained major damage from the storm.
Farm Science Review is sponsored by the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. It attracts upwards of 140,000 visitors from all over the country and Canada, who for three days to peruse 4,000 product lines from 600 commercial exhibitors, and learn the latest in agricultural research, conservation, family and nutrition, and gardening and landscape.
Farm Science Review pre-show tickets are $5 at all OSU Extension county office. Tickets are also available at local agribusinesses. Tickets are $8 at the gate. Children 5 and younger are admitted free. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 21-22 and 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Sept. 23.
For more information, log on to http://fsr.osu.edu. For the latest news and updates, follow Farm Science Review on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/OhioStateFSR), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/FarmScienceReview), and Ning (http://fsrosu.ning.com).