Fair sees dip in attendance

Officials say weather, economy are factors

By Maureen Vander Sanden

SLN Staff

The Walworth County Fair came to an end Monday, marking the area’s final summer hoorah, and for the fifth consecutive year, attendance was down.

During the six-day event, 134,408 fairgoers passed through the gates, a decrease of about 5 percent over last year’s numbers.

In 2010, 150,648 fairgoers made their way to Elkhorn.

Officials believe the economy is still playing a role in the continuing dip in attendance.

That, matched with hot and humid weather, is likely the reason for lower-than anticipated numbers, according to Fair Board President Ed Sokolowski.

“We were down roughly 6,000 people,” he said. “I think a good share of that is the economy. I noticed people aren’t spending like they used to at the fair. They’re picking their items very closely.”

“Weather may have played a role as well,” he added. “We had humid and hot weather the last couple days of the fair. Being as hot a summer as it was, a lot of people might have decided against coming out in the heat.”

Sokolowski recalls in 1999 – the 150^th county fair –when more than 194,000 fairgoers came out to the festival.

“We lost a good 50,000 people,” he said.

That was the last year fair patrons were treated to two shows from each Grandstand headliner, he said. Since then, performers will only take the stage once.

“Since then, I have noticed a steady decline,” he said.

Still, those who did come out, the fair board president maintains, had a “blast” at the 163^rd fair, themed “Shooting for the stars.”

The headliners – Chris Young, Wynonna Judd and REO Speedwagon, packed in the Grandstands, which seats about 5,000, according to Sokolowski.

“I thought they were very good,” he said, of the acts. “Chris Young was very well received, with the stands 95 percent full. All of our reserved seating was sold out for Wynonna and for REO Speedwagon we sold out (of reserved seating) and the Grandstand packed. They drew in very, very large crowds.”

Sokolowski said the he and the Fair Board would begin plans for the 2013 county fair in the coming months, after this year’s fair and its changes, and new attractions have been thoroughly evaluated.

“We’ll try to figure out what we’re going to do next year to try and entice people to come to the fair,” he said.

Despite this year’s lower-than-usual attendance, Sokolowski said the county fair continues to be the best in the state.

He credited the dozens of volunteers who he said make the fair a success.

“I’d like to thank all the people who came out, and thank all the hard-working volunteers who put this together. It takes a lot of people to make this thing run, and that’s why it’s a great fair.”

The 164^th county fair is scheduled Aug. 28-Sept. 2. Reduced advanced tickets go on sale in May.

“People who say it’s too expensive (to attend the fair) should watch for our promotions,” Sokolowski said.