OMC: Will there still be a place at the Fair for the kind of cover bands that had become de rigueur there in the past?

BS: There will always be a place for cover bands at the Fair. With 30 free stages at the Wisconsin State Fair, there is plenty of room to highlight the best of what the State of Wisconsin and the Midwest have to offer. There is a great variety of cover bands in the area that play the fair and when you walk through the grounds you have the pleasure of hearing a different genre of music practically every 20 feet!

OMC: Do you run into difficulties trying to book music for an August fair when Summerfest and a lot of other music-intensive events have already come and gone?

BS: Yes, you do, but I look at it as a challenge more than a difficulty. Now that we are looking at a higher level of artists for the Fair we are running into that more.

OMC: What are some of the difficulties you run into booking bands, especially, bigger national bands?

BS: There are a variety of obstacles that you run into booking any band no matter where they fall on the popularity ladder. Cost, routing, late confirmations, limited availability, travel issues and even the artist changing their minds … if you can believe that.

OMC: I think people think it looks easy; there's a lot of armchair entertainment bookers out there isn't there?

BS: The backseat bookers or armchair talent buyers will be around forever. Everyone has a wish list like I do. Unfortunately that is not reality. Santa does not always bring everything that is on my list every year. That's fine because when next year rolls around, I can put another wish list together.

OMC: Do you have any fond memories of seeing bands at the Fair?

BS: I remember in the early '70s, my parents taking me to see The Osmond Brothers and thinking how cool that was. I am sure I was not screaming! This past year was my first year working at the Fair. I remember watching Peter Frampton and seeing how he has matured as a guitar player. I had the honor of meeting Aaron Neville. I hope there will be many more memories to come.

OMC: What's your Fair favorite? Cream puffs? Pig races? Giant slide?

BS: I love the Giant Slide. I have lived in the area my entire life and attended the Fair every year. One of my stops through the Fair was to go on the Giant Slide. Now my kids think it's cool that their dad works where the Giant Slide is located. I had a chance this past December to meet Mr. Giant Slide. It was great to talk to him.

OMC: What's on the schedule this year that you're most excited about?

BS: I am actually excited about a few things this year. First thing is our great lineup on the Miller Lite Main Stage where we will introduce two 15x20-ft. video screens to enhance your concert experience.

The Main Stage will also feature, for the first time, an authentic Hispanic show featuring Lupillo Rivera and Ana Barbara. I worked with El Charro Promotions, based in Milwaukee, to bring a true multicultural show to the Fair and our community. The World Café Stage is also on that list. This stage is a lot of fun to program because I can showcase great entertainment from all cultures and most of them reside in Wisconsin.

Last but not least, I am very excited about our lineup on the Cousins Subs Amphitheater. We really needed to raise the profile of entertainment on our largest ground stage in the Park and with the response I have been getting regarding the acts, I believe we are on the right track.

State Fair takes place Aug. 2-12, 2007.