Western Fair Association Congratulates Ken Karns, New International Association of Fairs and Expositions Chair

December 5, 2024, London, Ontario: Former Western Fair Association Director - Ken Karns, now Chief Operating Officer at Orange County Fair and Event Center in California, USA was elected Chair of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) during the association’s annual business session at the 2024 IAFE Convention and Trade Show held in Phoenix, Arizona, yesterday. IAFE is a voluntary, nonprofit corporation serving state, provincial, regional, and county agricultural fairs, shows, exhibitions, and expositions. Its associate members include state and provincial associations of fairs, non-agricultural expositions and festivals, associations, corporations, and individuals engaged in providing products and services to its members, all interested in improving fairs, shows, expositions, and allied fields.

This achievement is a major one in the North American Fair Industry. WFA is proud to recognize this accomplishment because Karns started his career in the fair industry in the early 1990s in London, Ontario at Western Fair and worked with the Association for over 20 years.

Karns held many successful key leadership positions within the organization contributing to Western Fair’s success as well as the Canadian fair industry. He had amazing mentors at Western Fair, in Evan McGugan and Gary McRae both previous General Managers of the Western Fair Association as well as being well-respected in the North American Fair industry, both holding the honour of chairing the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions (CAFE), and the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) during their own careers. “I am tremendously humbled to be following in the footsteps of all my great mentors,” said Karns.

Ken has seen the fair industry evolve and change in Canada and now the US, and his new role as IAFE Chair will benefit the organization and the industry thanks to his dedication, commitment to always give his best, his humour, amazing work ethic and an enormous passion for the fair as an important community tradition. We are proud that the spark that ignited this amazing career and recent achievement began in London, Ontario at Western Fair and wish him and his board every success as they manage the new directions, challenges and opportunities that will transform fairs of the future.

For more information:
Tanner Poortinga 

Marketing & Communications Manager 

tpoortinga [at] westernfairdistrict.com 

226-210-5057