2026 Fair Box Office Technology & Infrastructure Survey
What Fairs Are Really Dealing With Behind the Scenes
We surveyed fairs across the U.S. to uncover the real challenges behind ticketing, infrastructure, and gate operations. The findings may change how you think about your setup.
The challenges aren’t always what you think
Most conversations around fair ticketing focus on software features, pricing, or vendors.
But when you look closer at how fairs actually operate, a different picture starts to emerge.
- Systems that work in theory but struggle during peak hours
- Setups that require more time behind the scenes than expected
- Technology that performs differently once it’s deployed across the grounds
This survey was designed to uncover what’s really happening—directly from the fairs themselves.
Inside the report, you’ll discover:
- Where fairs are actually experiencing friction at the box office
- The operational realities that don’t show up in demos or proposals
- How different fairs are approaching staffing, hardware, and setup
- The gap between how systems are sold and how they perform in the field
This isn’t theory. It’s a reflection of how fairs are operating today.
A clearer picture of the real bottlenecks
The findings point to patterns that most fairs don’t fully recognize until they’re already dealing with them.
Not just at the gate—but in:
- Pre-event setup
- Staff coordination
- Infrastructure across the grounds
- Day-of-event execution under pressure
If you’ve ever felt like something “should be working better,” this report will likely validate—and clarify—why.
Built for fairs of all sizes
Whether you’re:
- Running a smaller fair with limited staff and infrastructure
- Managing a mid-sized operation balancing growth and complexity
- Overseeing a large-scale fair with high-volume attendance
The insights apply across the board.
Because the challenges aren’t just about size—they’re about how fairs operate.
Based on real input from fair professionals
This report includes feedback from:
- Fair executives and leadership
- Box office and ticketing managers
- Operations and event staff
- Finance and administrative teams
All sharing what they’re actually dealing with—not just what looks good on paper.
Fairs operate in one of the most complex event environments in the live event industry. Temporary infrastructure, seasonal staffing, large crowds, and distributed operations across fairgrounds create unique challenges that most ticketing systems were never originally designed to handle.
To better understand these realities, we conducted the 2026 Fair Box Office Technology & Infrastructure Survey, gathering insights from fair professionals across the United States. Participants included executive leadership, ticketing and box office managers, finance teams, and operations staff, representing fairs ranging from under 50,000 attendees to more than 500,000 annually.
The goal was simple: uncover what is actually working—and more importantly, what is not—when it comes to box office operations, admissions technology, and event-day execution.
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TOP INSIGHTS FROM SURVEY:
1. Most box office problems are not really software problems
The most common challenge in the survey was not missing features. It was unreliable Wi-Fi, internet strength during peak times, power limitations, and the difficulty of supporting temporary locations across the grounds. In many cases, fairs are judging technology in environments that make even good systems harder to trust.
2. Hidden setup work may be costing more than the system itself
Several respondents pointed to the time required to build comps, discounts, sponsor distributions, vendor access, and special ticket offers. The visible part of ticketing happens at the gate. The invisible part is the staff time required to make all of it work before the fair even opens.
3. Receive a summary report of the results and findings
The survey suggests throughput is shaped by more than headcount alone. Device mix, connectivity, hardware setup, training, and process simplicity all appear to influence how quickly guests can be processed during peak times.
4. Many fairs are operating in a fragile in-between stage
A number of responses reflect mixed environments: different printers, tablets, laptops, handheld devices, varying power conditions, and in some cases a transition from cash-only operations to card acceptance. That kind of hybrid setup can work, but it can also introduce hidden friction that only shows up under pressure.
The broader takeaway is this: fairs do not just need powerful ticketing systems. They need systems that are reliable, simple to operate, and built for temporary, high-pressure event-day conditions.
FINDINGS BY QUESTION:
1. Fair Size (Annual Attendance)
Responses came from a wide mix of fairs, which gives the survey a good cross-section of the industry.
What stood out:
• Strong representation from both small and mid-sized fairs
• A meaningful share also came from large fairs with 250,000+ annual attendance
• Several 500,000+ fairs participated, giving the survey weight beyond just smaller operations
– TAKEAWAY: The issues surfaced in this survey are not limited to one size of fair. Many of the same challenges appear across both smaller fairs and large-scale fairgrounds.
2. What receipt printers do you currently use?
Printer environments were mixed, with no single universal standard.
What stood out:
• BOCA Systems and Epson appeared most often
• A few respondents reported Zebra, Star Micronics, or other / not sure
• Some fairs are clearly working in blended printer environments
– TAKEAWAY: Most fairs are not operating with one clean, standardized hardware ecosystem. Many appear to be layering new tools onto older infrastructure.
3. Do you use ticket-only printers?
Responses were fairly split.
What stood out:
• A notable portion of respondents do use ticket-only printers
• Others do not, suggesting some fairs are consolidating print workflows or relying more on mobile / digital processes
• A few respondents were not sure, which may reflect less direct involvement in system setup
– TAKEAWAY: There is still no uniform approach to print strategy. Ticket issuance workflows vary widely by fair and setup.
4. Do you use scannable codes printed on receipts that are order-specific or ticket-specific?
Most fairs that answered appear to rely on printed scannable codes in some form.
What stood out:
• Ticket codes were the most common answer
• Some fairs use both order-specific and ticket-specific codes
• A small number were not sure
– TAKEAWAY: Printed scannable codes are still a common part of admissions workflows, especially in environments where paper tickets or printed receipts remain important.
5. What type of devices do you primarily use at box offices/POS?
Device environments were also mixed.
What stood out:
• Tablets are widely used
• Laptops / desktop computers remain very common
• Handheld smartphones / mobile devices are also in use
• A few fairs reported all-in-one POS systems
• Several fairs use multiple device types, not just one
– TAKEAWAY: Most fairs are not relying on one device type. They are managing hybrid setups, which can create both flexibility and complexity.
6. Do you use external keyboards with tablets?
Tablet workflows vary significantly.
What stood out:
• Many respondents said no
• Some use keyboards at some or most locations
• Several selected not applicable, often because they do not use tablets
– TAKEAWAY: Tablet box office workflows are far from standardized. The need for keyboards likely reflects differences in ticketing software design, booth setup, and staff workflow.
7. Is electricity available at your box offices/POS locations?
Power availability is generally present, but not universal.
What stood out:
• Most respondents said electricity is available at all locations
• Several said electricity is available at some locations
• A smaller group said they rely on generators or battery setups
• A few were not sure
– TAKEAWAY: Power is less of a universal pain point than connectivity, but it is still a real operational variable, especially in temporary or distributed fair environments.
8. What are your biggest challenges with box office technology today?
This question produced the strongest and most useful findings in the survey.
8A. Connectivity and internet reliability
This was the most repeated theme.
Examples included:
• Wi-Fi availability on the grounds
• Internet strength during busy times
• Connectivity to Wi-Fi across temporary locations
• Wi-Fi going down
• Need for access to ethernet in more places
– TAKEAWAY: Connectivity is the clearest #1 challenge across fairs of different sizes.
8B. Setup complexity
Several respondents pointed to the effort required to manage system setup.
Examples included:
• Time required to build comps, discounts, and offers
• Difficulty keeping up with ticketing company updates
• Complexity around code distribution to sponsors, vendors, and internal teams
– TAKEAWAY: Administrative setup is a hidden burden that consumes real staff time.
8C. Hardware and physical environment challenges
Some responses focused on the realities of working in small or temporary box office spaces.
Examples included:
• Need for better all-in-one technology
• Scanner issues
• Dust and user damage
• Managing tablets, printers, EMV devices, and cables in small booths
– TAKEAWAY: Physical deployment matters. Hardware simplicity is still a major opportunity area.
8D. Payment and cost concerns
A few respondents specifically mentioned payment friction.
Examples included:
• Chargebacks
• Cost
• Credit card fees being added to each ticket
• Transitioning from cash-only to accepting credit cards
– TAKEAWAY: For some fairs, payment processing is still a financial and operational pain point.
8E. Fairs still early in modernization
A few responses showed that some fairs are still at the beginning of their technology journey.
Examples included:
• “Don’t use any”
• “Do not use any box office”
• Transitioning from cash-only gates to credit cards
– TAKEAWAY: Not all fairs are trying to optimize mature systems. Some are still building the basics.
9. Would you be interested in providing feedback or peer input if another IAFE member reaches out?
There was strong interest in peer connection.
What stood out:
• Many respondents selected Yes – happy to share insights
• Several selected Maybe – depending on topic/time
• A smaller group said No
– TAKEAWAY: There is a meaningful willingness within the industry to share peer input, which suggests value in more community-driven benchmarking and idea exchange.
10. During your busiest peak times, approximately how many guests can you process per gate / entry point per hour?
Throughput varied widely.
What stood out:
• Many fairs reported 500–1,000 guests per hour
• Several reported 1,000+ per hour
• Some smaller or earlier-stage operations reported under 250
• A number of respondents were not sure
– TAKEAWAY: Peak throughput varies significantly, but many fairs are operating at fairly high guest-processing volumes. This reinforces how important reliability and workflow efficiency are at the gate.
11. On average, how many staff members are assigned per gate / box office during peak times?
Staffing levels also varied, but a pattern emerged.
What stood out:
• 3–4 staff was the most common response
• 5–6 staff was also common
• A smaller group reported 1–2 staff
• Some larger operations reported 7+ staff
– TAKEAWAY: Most fairs appear to staff peak locations with a moderate team size, but throughput likely depends on more than staff count alone. Technology, workflow, connectivity, and setup still play a major role.