Attendance is rising

Attendance is rising

Attendance at the 170th Canfield Fair so far is on track to surpass numbers from the past few years. After a slow start Wednesday, the fair had 40,161 visitors Thursday and 47,352 Friday, bringing total attendance so far to 103,297.

Friday’s attendance numbers were the best the fair has had since 2007, as reported at a fair board meeting Saturday. Last year’s Friday attendance was 42,117.

Total attendance so far is better than last year’s, by about 6,000 people.

The six-day event so far has had near-perfect weather, with sunny skies and lower temperatures than last year.

Saturday attendance was sure to be strong as well, as visitors flocked to the fairgrounds in warm, sunny weather.

Auction’s sales down

Sales at Friday’s Junior Fair auction totaled $279,929, bringing the total over the fair so far to $450,724, reported Junior Fair director Bob Jarvis on Saturday.

Jarvis reported that the total so far is down slightly from last year’s, due to a decrease in the price of beef.

Derby full of trucks

More than 60 trucks participated in the “World’s Largest Demolition Derby,” the fair’s Friday night grandstand attraction, as reported at a Saturday fair board meeting.

Worship services

Today’s fair programming, with the theme Faith & Family, includes several worship services, beginning at 8 a.m. with a Catholic service, followed by an ecumenical service at 9:30 a.m. A praise & worship service takes place at 11 a.m. All services are at the concourse stage, near the grandstand.

Faith & Family Day wraps up with a grandstand performance by the Newsboys with special guest The Willis Clan at 8 p.m.

Crowing contest

Keeping with the fair’s slogan – “Something to Crow About” – a rooster-crowing contest will take place at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the South ring.

The contest’s award is sponsored by DiRusso Sausage.