Rusty rides and dirty walkways are two characteristics of The Great Frederick Fair that Frederick County citizens have become accustomed to over its many years of operation.

Each year, thousands flock to the Frederick County fairgrounds for a tradition that dates back 152 years to when The Great Frederick Fair first opened its doors. And with the thousands of people gathering in one place, security is a huge issue.

All-County Security has been in charge of security for eight years at the fair. Charlie Ellenberger leads the force.

“The most difficult part of the job is maintaining crowd control,” said Ellenberger.

There have been almost no problems in recent years, Ellenberger added, but the security staff must always stay alert.

In 2013, no arrests were made, but in 2012, an arrest was made, stemming from a narcotics complaint, and in 2011, there was a trespassing arrest.

This year it’s been smooth sailing so far, aside from some suspicious activity on machinery row.

“We’ve just had some prank activity on machinery row, but nothing serious that would endanger anyone here. There have been some trivial situations,” said Jim Grimes, who has served on the board of the fair for 33 years. “Each year it will be different problems.”

Grimes says the biggest concern every year for his security staff is maintaining the safety of fair-goers, and every year they seem to do a good job.

“We have very few problems here; some nights we have more problems than others,” said Ellenbergrer. “Couple fights, couple drunks – that’s about it.”

Aside from the contracted group, All-County, the sheriff’s office and Frederick Police also help handle the load.

“Being ready to handle possible situations is the most important thing,” said Grimes. “We have to protect patrons from anything that could be thrown at us.”