Fair attendance may hit 300,000

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Attendance numbers during the Nebraska State Fair’s first run in Grand Island are exceeding the expectations of fair officials.

Fair officials announced Thursday morning that more than 120,000 people have already attended the State Fair and attendance is on track to reach 300,000.

“We’re well on track,” said Tam Allan, Nebraska State Fair board vice chairman.

By this time in 2008, about 119,000 people had attended the fair in its former location in Lincoln, officials said. Executive Director Joseph McDermott said a normal attendance total for past fairs had been about 340,000 for the entire run. The fair’s grand finale in Lincoln last year brought out 368,000.

However, Allan said he had expected about 200,000 during the fair’s first year in Grand Island. He said he thought this first year in the new location would be a “soft opening” with not all of the fair facilities complete.

Fair officials had anticipated that attendance numbers would be light on weekdays because people are at work and children at school, but officials have been surprised at weekday attendance.

“We’ve been strong in the middle of the week,” Allan said.

The Older Nebraskans Festival set a record for Tuesday attendance of 22,335 people, fair officials said.

By comparison, only 19,497 people attended the fair on Tuesday of last year, when the State Fair’s grand finale in Lincoln brought out large numbers of fairgoers.

Fair officials initially planned to wait to release attendance numbers until after the fair, but Allan said they changed their minds.

“I can give you two words — Mel Tillis,” Allan said about the decision to release attendance numbers. “Tuesday — we never experienced anything like this.”

Nearly 10,000 fair-goers showed up for the free Mel Tillis concert at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Tickets were gone 20 minutes before the concert start, Allan said.

Allan said Tuesday’s attendance caused traffic “gridlock” on South Locust Street and set a concert attendance record at the Heartland Events Center. Both are good problems to have, he said.

“We’re trying to figure out where all these people are coming from,” Allan said.

Surveying has shown attendance has been widespread, Allan said, noting people from 30 states and Canada have come through the State Fair gates.

“We’re very pleased that folks are coming from all over,” Allan said. “We’re pleased that folks are coming from Omaha and Lincoln.”

Wednesday numbers, which weren’t released during the news conference, were up 25 percent from last year with paid ticket sales on Wednesday up 10 percent, Allan said.

The fair will continue through Monday and still has multiple concerts — including a sold-out Martina McBride concert on Sunday.

But numbers aren’t the only way to measure the fair’s success, the fair officials said.

“Our vendors seem to be happy,” Allan said. “They are awfully hungry people who are coming out to see us at the fair.”

Two-thirds of the fair’s food vendors have reported sales that are “way up,” he said.

The Nebraska Cattlemen’s Beef Pit, which typically sells 11,000 to 12,000 meals during a fair run, hit the 11,000-meal mark on Wednesday, Allan said.

“People are very impressed with the buildings,” said Joseph McDermott, executive director of the Nebraska State Fair. “They are in awe.”

Allan said fair staff members have already been contacted about using the facilities for various national livestock shows and have been told to expect higher numbers of livestock exhibitors in the coming years of State Fairs.

From an operational standpoint, fairgoers like the layout, they like the easy access to the fairgrounds and have found it easy to negotiate, McDermott said.

The flat layout is good for baby strollers, wheelchairs, scooters and bands.

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