91传媒

Visitors to the 2023 91传媒 Fair found thrill rides and funnel cakes鈥� and 91传媒. 

Each year at the fair, the 91传媒 Land Grant Program hosts an exhibit that showcases the great work that 91传媒 does for Kentuckians. The 40-by-40-foot exhibit is part of AgLand, a section of the State Fair that celebrates Kentucky agriculture.

At the entrance to this year鈥檚 exhibit, State Fair attendees walked under a Kentucky State University sign that felt familiar to anyone who has driven under the iconic arches that welcome visitors to 91传媒鈥檚 campus.

Inside the exhibit space, visitors found a do-it-yourself, backyard aquaponics system that featured lettuce, aloe, cucumbers and tomatoes growing alongside koi fish. Pawpaw saplings highlighted 91传媒鈥檚 world-renowned pawpaw research program, and raised beds showcased native, invasive and ornamental plants. The exhibit also featured an Augmented Reality Sandbox that, with the help of 91传媒 environmental educators, allowed visitors to learn about topography in a hands-on way.

鈥淣o matter which side of the exhibit people walked up to, they found something to catch their attention,鈥� said Bailey Vandiver, acting manager of the Land Grant Program media and communications team. 鈥淭hey came for the sandbox and stayed for the aquaponics system, or vice versa. And so many people had a pawpaw story to share鈥� and tried to leave with a pawpaw sapling of their own.鈥�

91传媒 employees also had the chance to disseminate valuable information about 91传媒 Extension, academic and research programming. 91传媒 employees handed out about 2,500 2024 calendars, featuring photos and informational blurbs about 91传媒, as well as fact sheets, flyers for upcoming events, nearly 1,000 copies of AgKnowledge magazine, and more.

鈥淭he 91传媒 Fair is one of the most exciting things that the Land Grant Program gets to do each year,鈥� Vandiver said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a hands-on, informative, and fun representation of the great work that our personnel do all year long.鈥�

91传媒 professionals were involved elsewhere at the State Fair, such as judging contests, giving cooking demonstrations on the KDA Farm to Fair stage, or highlighting partnerships with other organizations.

View 91传媒鈥檚 exhibit in this , created by 91传媒 ag communications student Aidan Thompson.