The 2008 edition closes tonight. It has been reported that the event looks to be heading toward record attendance in excess of 900,000. The weather was absolutely perfect for the entire run. I'm not sure a drop of rain even hit the fairgrounds this year, and the temps were never out of the lower 80s with low humidity. The best run of weather I can ever recall for the first half of August.
So we know people were there...but were they spending? I'm curious to hear from those who were working this Fair.
I was there four different days (all weekdays), here are my impressions...I think the Fair Board is continuing to improve the look of the Fairgrounds. Most buildings, over the last several years, have been gone over and been given makeovers of varying degrees. A major addition this year, was a hand-built replica of the Mansfield (Parke County, Indiana)Covered Bridge. If you enter the fairgrounds from the west, you will drive beneath on your way through the tunnel to the infield. While only about half as long as the original, they did a great job and is great addition to the look of the fairgrounds.
I actually spent very little time walking the Midway. It appeared that most of the equipment was from Mid-America Shows, there were a few pieces from Farrow. All the stuff looked great, but just like every Midway I visit these days, it just seems like it keeps getting less and less every year. And even if I could be percieving it wrong, I know it isn't as big as it was five and ten years ago. Hell, they didn't even have a full-sized version of a Himalaya-type ride this year, they only had a Wisdom one. But anyway, it is still the highlight of my carnival watching season which slows dramatically after the Fair.
I've never been "with it", just been an interested observer of carnivals for more than 50 years.
Johnny's United Shows..."A Family Tradition" and "All for Fun, Fun for All".
The carnival of my youth, which had roots that originated in my hometown.