Road to Recovery: Fort Bend fair beginning on time despite Harvey complications

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- In the height of flooding from Hurricane Harvey, the Fort Bend County fairgrounds were transformed into a makeshift base of operations for the national guard, Texas Task Force 1 and other agencies.

Due to some awful timing, it was the same period when setup for the fair normally begins.

"We had helicopters landing all over the place," fair president Ernest Lawson said. "It looked kind of like a war zone."

Fair staff and volunteers had only days to set up instead of weeks. However, Lawson said they knew they had to get it ready in time.

"People need something to get their minds off the tragic event that we've all been through," Lawson said.

Many of the volunteers were affected by flooding themselves. Retired teacher Pauletta Klemstein had to evacuate her home.

"It was just very scary for the little ones, but we knew we had to get out and get everything else to safety," Klemstein said.

Through it all she said she had no doubt the fair would go on.

"We knew the fair was going to take place no matter what, and we would be here as volunteers," Klemstein said.

The fair continues for 10 days with unique events each day. Find more information about events and tickets at the Fort Bend County website.