karen Riedl

I launched CountyFairgroundsUSA.net in 1998 during a difficult time in my life when I was going through a divorce in Tucson, Arizona. I was depressed and searching for something that would bring happiness, both to myself and to others. I realized that fairs and festivals make people happy, so that became my mission. I taught myself HTML and PHP in those early internet days and became one of the first people on Facebook. Over more than two decades, I've built an extensive platform covering fairs, festivals, rodeos, and events at county and state fairgrounds throughout the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. I've conducted countless podcast interviews with state fair managers, entertainers, grounds acts, and concessionaires. Some of my interviews date back to the early 2000s and are still available on the site. I also manage HalloweenEventsUSA.com and HolidayEventsUSA.com as WordPress sites, and we have unique content like a comprehensive page listing all fair conventions in the US and an extensive database of St. Patrick's Day events. I work with a dedicated international team including employees in Bangladesh and Macedonia since 2005, and recently brought on help from India to manage the increasingly complex technology. My typical day involves being on the computer from 10 AM to 7 PM, searching for fairs, helping promote events, managing our large entertainer database, and working to get entertainers booked. Before dedicating myself fully to county fairgrounds, I had a background in healthcare. I was trained as a medical EMT, earned a biology degree, and published medical magazines including Tucson Health Style and Colorado Springs Health Style in both Arizona and Colorado. I also organized and ran large craft fair festivals in Sierra Vista, Arizona and towns south of Tucson. Throughout everything I do, my goal has remained constant: to help people be happy. I believe that's what life should be about, and I've worked incredibly hard over the years to accomplish that mission through promoting the joy that fairs and festivals bring to communities.