Fewer people attend fair

Grant County Fair hosts 3,000 fewer folks

GRANT COUNTY - The Grant County Fair Board and commissioners are looking at improvements for next year's fair.

High temperatures, new policies and general economic issues may have contributed the almost 3,000 person dip in attendance at the fair this year.

According to a fair board report, attendance slipped from 44,554 people to 41,400 people. The drop puts the fair about 14,000 attendees below the 56,000 reported to the Washington State Fair Association in 2005.

"Overall, I think we did OK," fair board member Dick Pulis said. "We did a pay for parking system. We're probably going to rethink it. A lot of people were not happy with it … I think (the drop) was mostly because of the heat and because of the high fuel and food costs … (With the economy) people just don't have the money."

Grant County Commissioner Richard Stevens and Pulis said the four days of more than 100 degree temperatures hit the fair attendance hard.

"Whenever it hits the 100s attendance seems to drop," Stevens said.

He also said it's hard to determine what caused the drop, whether it was the temperature, parking prices or if people were at work.

Stevens said attendants at the gates may have overcounted in previous years, which could account for some of the drop. He said they had been counting every person who came through the gate, every time they came through the gate, and the $11,000 drop in ticket revenue doesn't seem to add up to the loss of 3,000 attendees.

Last year may have been down, but the fair board and commissioners are hoping to have improvements done at the fairgrounds by next year's fair, including more restrooms and grass. These are part of the $12 million of planned improvements to the fairgrounds, which have included upgrades to the water and sewer systems, a new 4-H building and horse barns.

Pulis also said he wanted to see more shade for next year.

"A lot of (the attendees) have to sit down on the bleachers out in the sun," he said. "We're going to try to get more trees to grow, just improve the general landscaping."

Along with those changes, the fair board also is examining what entertainment to bring in for next year.

"I think we are at the point where we should look at some new stuff," fair board member Laura Cobb said. "I think we need to change some things up. Me, personally and the people I talk to they want to see some new stuff."

Considering the changes, the heat and the grass, Pulis said he thought the fair turned out well.

"Under the circumstances, I think (the fair) turned out great, considering the construction," Pulis said. "I looked at (the fairgrounds) a month before the fair and I thought, 'There's no way we're going to be ready.'"