Fair sets record for attendance this year
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on October 12, 2011 1:46 PM
Planning for the 2012 edition of the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair might already be under way, but that doesn't mean the man charged with putting together this year's event isn't still thinking about just how much his staff accomplished over the past few weeks.
More than 104,000 traveled to the county fairgrounds from Oct. 7 to Oct. 15 -- "the biggest crowd we've ever had," fair director Milton Ingram said.
And while the record-setting attendance mark was likely at least partially a product of the freshly paved midway -- the track made it easier for wheelchairs and strollers to navigate around the grounds -- Ingram attributed the size of the crowds to clear skies.
"We had many, many comments on the paving, of course," he said. "But I think the beautiful weather was the big contributing factor."
And it was a factor that Ingram was pleased to be on the right side of this time around -- last year, Day One of the fair was washed out and many can't remember the last time there wasn't at least one brush with choppy conditions.
So despite the fact that he and his team are already busy putting things into place for 2012 -- Ingram said the poultry and rabbit enclosure will be torn down and rebuilt, acts, including Wicked Bulls, are already being signed and potential improvements at the grounds are being assessed -- the fair staff is enjoying a break from the grind associated with its latest 10-day whirlwind.
"I'm very tired, but I'm recovering. The main thing is, we got through it ... and considering the huge crowds we had, everyone is very pleased," he said. "I just want to thank everyone who was involved -- everybody that helped make the fair a success. It takes a lot of hard work to make our fair what it is."