Umatilla County Fair Princesses Kira Krumbah-Kuhar, of Milton-Freewater, JanNessa Prewitt, of Hermiston, and Raylee Lehnert, of Pilot Rock, were introduced and crowned at Saturday's Fair Appreciation Dinner.

Change was in the air at Saturday’s Umatilla County Fair Appreciation Dinner.

“This will be the last year that the fair will be on what we all have come to know as ‘The Fairgrounds,’” said Umatilla County Fair Board Chairman Lucas Wagner to diners inside a packed Thompson Hall. “It promises to be a year of traditions and transitions.”

With the latter remark, Wagner segued into this year’s theme: Traditions and Transitions.

In 2017, the fair will move to a newly constructed Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center, located on 90 acres just south of the Hermiston Airport. The site will house a rodeo arena, barns, exhibitor venues, rough stock pens and something in short supply at the current location – parking.

Fundraising Committee Chairman Dennis Barnett said the fair is moving from “a pig we’ve been putting lipstick on for a number of years to something special.” It hasn’t come cheap and the fundraising isn’t over yet. He said there is another $1.2 million to raise in short order.

“Our finish line is March 1,” Barnett said.

That was enough talk about money. The rest of the night was all about honoring standout volunteers, announcing the grand marshal and introducing the fair court and new fair manager.

This year’s grand marshal, Pilot Rock 4-H leader Lea VanHouten, is accustomed to spending fair week behind the scenes, encouraging members of the Pilot Rock Wooly Wranglers as they compete. This year, she will be the face of the fair as she carries her grand marshal duties.

VanHouten, who is an instructional aide at the Pilot Rock Elementary School, brushed away a tear or two as she accepted a bouquet of roses and a plaque.

Robert Luke, a retired civil engineer from Hermiston, was named male volunteer of the year. Luke volunteers hours and hours as fair photographer, seeing the events mostly through his camera lens. Board member Gay Newman, who presented the award, said Luke was an easy selection.

“This is someone who understands the fair is more than one week. He’s a man who takes no payment,” Newman said. “He’s a man who a lot of people in town call the historian and he does so through his craft of photography.”

Female Volunteer of the Year June Mills wasn’t able to attend. Mills, of Stanfield’s Mills Mint Farm, is a fixture at the fair, doing a variety of volunteer jobs such as overseeing the Kids’ Corner.

The board also presented an award given out rarely – the Business Partnership Award – to Noble Panel & Gate of Milton-Freewater. Presenter Dan Dorran said he could remember only three other partnership awards given out. Owners Don and Pat Noble accepted flowers and plaque.

The crowd got a look at new Umatilla County Fair Manager Don Slone, who took the mic and said a few words. Slone, who managed the Harney County Fair for 25 years, replaces Peggy Anderson who resigned in August to become the Josephine County Fair Manager.

Incoming Umatilla County Fair royalty received their crowns. The trio of princesses are JaNessa Prewitt, of Hermiston, Raylee Lehnert, of Pilot Rock, and Kira Krumbah-Kuhar, of Milton-Freewater.

Fair organizers announced a partial list of musical entertainment for the 2016 fair. On Tuesday night, A Thousand Horses will perform and the Bellamy Brothers will take the stage on Wednesday. Entertainment for Thursday, Friday and Saturday is yet to be announced. Concert tickets will go on sale in March.

The board also unveiled the 2016 Fair logo, designed by Sofi Smith of Master Printers Northwest.

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Contact Kathy Aney at kaney@eastoregonian.com or call 541-966-0810.