OKLAHOMA CITY -- Fairgoers will notice some new amenities this year, including a bathroom that accommodates children and adults with a disability.
The Oklahoma State Fair and the Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma contracted with Momentum Refresh, to bring the nation's first fully accessible, universally designed mobile restroom to the fair.
Located in front of the Modern Living Building, Momentum Refresh was designed to address a common barrier for participation at events: an accessible restroom.
According to a company flier, about 25% of U.S. adults have a disability that impacts major life activities. For those with limitations, Momentum Refresh features a toilet with adjustable grab bars, a bidet, an under-vehicle lift, a powered, height adjustable and adult-sized changing table. Professional attendants are on site to assist those who need it.
Becky Hansen, consultant with Momentum Refresh, demonstrated the lift that helps people transfer out of their wheelchair. For people who can't bear weight on their own, Hansen said the lift makes for a trouble-free process, rather than needing a caregiver to manually lift them, which can lead to injury.
"They typically have their own sling hooks and attach them, then you're able to just lift them up mechanically and safely transfer them to the adult-size changing table," Hansen said. "The changing table is fully adjustable like the sink, so it can go up, down and is designed to meet the needs of almost everybody, including children and adults."
Hansen said everything in the bathroom has been designed with accessibility and dignity in mind.
"We wanted to make this a positive experience for anybody who is just out to have a good time," Hansen said.
The mobile restroom made its first appearance at the Minnesota State Fair before making its way south to Oklahoma, and Hansen said they had nearly 500 people use it.
Momentum Refresh opens at the fair from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
"Accessibility is essential for creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone," said Jenifer Randle, executive director at the Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma.
A space for sensory relief
Inside the Art Annex building at the fairgrounds is a room designed to provide relief for those with sensory issues.
The Calming Space is available to fairgoers who need a break from all the lights and sounds. This air-conditioned space, designed with comfort in mind, promises to offer tranquility for those who are neurodivergent, including individuals who are on the autism spectrum or have sensory-processing challenges. Those who visit the space will find books and other calming activities.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22, the fair will turn down the sounds and lights and feature activities for guests who need an experience in an atmosphere that is less noisy and bright.
Gina Burchfiel, executive vice president of the Oklahoma State Fair, said they're thrilled to take part in a national movement ensuring that public events can accommodate people of all abilities.
A tour of the galaxy
An immersive, educational and out of this world experience made its way back to the fairgrounds for the first time since the 1970s.
The Kirkpatrick Planetarium opened at the fairgrounds in 1962 and was the original facility for what is now Science Museum Oklahoma, often referred to as the Omniplex by those who visited from the 1990s through 2007.
"It relocated across town in the late 1970s, so this planetarium room has been vacant, used as a meeting and art display space ever since then," said Ron Mallory, director of Ad Astra Mobile Planetarium. "They decided, since Science Museum Oklahoma is going to be opening their brand new planetarium this fall, they said, 'let's celebrate that by offering some shows in the original dome this year.'"
Mallory took the Journal Record on a brief tour of the Milky Way Galaxy Thursday. Before starting the trip with a projection of the daytime sky and a timelapse of the sun moving across it, Mallory provided some history of the planetarium, which was invented in Germany in 1923. He refers to the planetarium as the world's first virtual reality device.
While ancient people didn't actually understand what we know today about space, Mallory said they did enjoy playing connect the dots with the stars. The presentation showed Pegasus, the Big Dipper and other constellations, before taking the viewer to Uranus and the rings of Saturn.
"Saturn's rings probably formed when one of its moons got a little bit too close to the planet, and Saturn's gravity ripped that moon apart and its tiny particles spread out into orbit, forming this big, beautiful system of rings," Mallory said.
The demonstration was only five minutes, but Mallory said the whole show lasts about 20 minutes.
First-time attractions and food
New attractions for the 2024 fair include the Taste of the Fair, which takes place Tuesday, Sept. 17. Fairgoers will pay discounted outside gate admission and food prices.
At 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., the Wine and Palette accommodates all from the novice to the master. Paint supplies are provided for this 'make it and take it' souvenir opportunity.
Pretty Bird Paradise is a free all-day exhibit that allows fairgoers to enter an aviary with more than 100 parakeets. Feed sticks will be available for purchase. Most of the bids are rescues.
New food this year includes the Cap'n Crunch Chicken Sandwich, bacon-wrapped Oreos, deep-fried Doritos pickles and some African cuisine options like Egusi Fufu, a stew of ground melon seeds, spinach and spices serviced with a chewy texture made from yam powder or plantain and cassava.
The Oklahoma State Fair runs through Sept. 22. A complete list of new attractions and food is available at okstatefair.com.