It’s a real Exchange Club hot dog at the Columbus Fair — sort of

It all started in 1946, the year after World War II ended.

The Exchange Club of Columbus began selling footlong hot dogs at the Chattahoochee Valley Fair. That tradition ended six years ago as the Exchange Club continued to sell its fall classic meal, but did so at the Shriner’s Club in Midtown.

Now, the Exchange Club’s footlong is back. But how can that be?

Easy. Columbus Civic Center Director Ross Horner made it one of his goals to bring the traditional fair food back, alongside the cotton candy and deep-fried Oreos. And he did through a unique partnership.

The local Exchange Club, now 33 members, did not have the volunteers to staff the booth. Horner proposed they let the Civic Center use the name, produce the hot dogs with the same products from the same vendors and sell them with a percentage going to the Exchange Club.

They worked a deal a couple of months ago. The Exchange Club did its traditional hot dog event last week at the Shriner’s Club. This week, with one of two club members in the booth next to the Civic Center, Exchange Club footlongs are being sold at the fair.

This story was originally published October 28, 2016 at 4:59 PM with the headline "It’s a real Exchange Club hot dog at the Columbus Fair — sort of."