Questions Remain Following Lincoln County Fair Online Ticketing Concerns
- John Eads
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
TROY, Mo. — Previously purchased Lincoln County Fair passes are being accepted at the gate, but questions remain regarding the cause and extent of an online ticketing issue after Lincoln CountyWatch received multiple tips questioning whether the Fair’s publicly announced credit-card processing outage was the full extent of the issue.
The Lincoln County Fair announced Monday that its credit-card processing system was down and that officials did not have an estimated time for service to be restored. The Fair said the outage affected online ticket sales and prevented credit-card transactions from being processed online or at the fairgrounds.
Fair officials advised visitors that admission was temporarily cash only and said an ATM was available on the fairgrounds. Residents were also directed to the Fair Book for locations where physical season passes could be purchased.
Following the announcement, Lincoln CountyWatch began receiving tips raising additional questions about the online ticketing system and whether the issue extended beyond a temporary credit-card processing outage.
One source alleged that the online payment and ticketing application had been developed through a software environment intended for development and testing before access to the system was later restricted. The source further claimed that the issue may affect the Fair’s access to information associated with previous online ticket purchases.
Those claims have not been independently verified. Lincoln CountyWatch is not identifying the source or presenting the information as established fact. However, the information raised immediate questions regarding whether previously purchased passes remained accessible and valid, whether the Fair retained complete records of online purchasers and whether customers could be required to pay again.
A second individual later contacted Lincoln CountyWatch independently and raised concerns regarding tickets purchased months before the outage. The individual questioned whether previously purchased tickets could still be accessed and whether affected customers would be expected to purchase admission again.
Lincoln CountyWatch began seeking answers directly from Fair leadership Tuesday morning.
Questions were submitted by email regarding the cause of the outage, the status of previously purchased passes, access to purchaser records, potential refunds or replacements and instructions for affected customers. A follow-up message was also sent through the Fair’s Facebook page to confirm the request had been received.
Earlier Tuesday, Lincoln CountyWatch was advised that Fair representatives were expected to meet around noon and that someone would provide additional information following the meeting. No response had been received by Tuesday evening.
Lincoln CountyWatch also called a publicly listed telephone number. The call rang without an answer.
With questions continuing and no official response received, Lincoln CountyWatch visited the Lincoln County Fairgrounds Tuesday evening to seek clarification in person.
At Gate 5, Lincoln CountyWatch initially spoke with a staff member regarding concerns surrounding previously purchased online Fair passes. While the staff member attempted to explain portions of the payment situation, the initial discussion did not directly address several questions regarding the online ticketing system or the concerns raised through community tips.
Staff did confirm that previously purchased Fair passes are being accepted. Attendees who purchased passes before the outage should still be able to use them and should not be required to purchase admission a second time.
Lincoln CountyWatch then spoke with Patty, who was helpful throughout the visit and attempted to obtain additional information. Patty contacted a Fair Board member by telephone in an effort to connect Lincoln CountyWatch with someone who could address the remaining questions.
The individual on the phone was not identified, and Lincoln CountyWatch was advised that the board member was too busy with ongoing Fair operations to come to the gate and speak with us. Staff indicated it may be easier to reach Fair leadership during daytime hours.
When asked for additional information regarding the cause of the outage and the broader concerns raised by community members, Lincoln CountyWatch was advised that those questions would need to be addressed by Fair Board leadership.
While several questions remain unanswered, Patty made an effort to obtain additional information while continuing to assist visitors at the gate. She was also celebrating her birthday Tuesday, so anyone visiting Gate 5 can be sure to wish her a happy birthday.
Gate staff also clarified that some individual food vendors may be unable to accept credit-card payments because vendors operate their own payment systems. Payment availability at individual food stands may therefore vary and is separate from whether previously purchased Fair passes are being accepted.
The confirmation at Gate 5 resolves the most immediate concern: attendees who previously purchased Fair passes should be able to use them.
However, questions regarding the underlying issue remain unanswered.
Lincoln CountyWatch has not received confirmation regarding whether the outage is limited to the credit-card processor identified in the Fair’s public announcement, whether another issue affected the online ticketing application, whether the Fair currently has complete access to online purchaser records, how many transactions may be affected or when full online and on-site credit-card processing is expected to return.
The information provided through community tips remains unverified. Lincoln CountyWatch will continue seeking documentation and a direct response from Fair Board leadership before drawing conclusions regarding the cause of the outage.
Anyone who purchased a Fair pass online and experienced difficulty accessing or using it is encouraged to contact Lincoln CountyWatch at tips@lincolncountywatch.com or send a message through the Lincoln CountyWatch Facebook page.
Lincoln CountyWatch will update this story as additional information becomes available.
About Lincoln CountyWatch
Lincoln CountyWatch is part of the County Watch Network (CWN), an independent local news organization providing fact-based coverage of Lincoln County and the surrounding region. Our reporting includes breaking news, public safety, local government, courts, business, community events, weather, and investigative journalism.
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Primary Sources
Lincoln CountyWatch on-site reporting
Lincoln CountyWatch photographs from the Lincoln County Fairgrounds
Lincoln County Fair online ticketing information
Online ticket purchase and payment records reviewed by Lincoln CountyWatch
Information provided by Lincoln County Fair attendees
Lincoln County Fair representatives contacted by Lincoln CountyWatch