The corn has been shucked. The cotton candy is all gone. As the lights go out on the ferris wheel, the 2008 Pinal County Fair closes the book on another great year. Nearly perfect weather, great concerts and true family fun helped the 5 day event wrap up with increased attendance. Admission prices stayed the same as 2007 but preliminary figures show almost an 8% gain in ticket sales.
Concerts were certainly one of the big draws this year. With the Drifters on Wednesday night & the Coasters & Platters on Thursday night, crowds were treated to nostalgic rock and roll & a great time. Saturday’s feature band was Little Joe and La Familia. A fair favorite, Little Joe surprised fans with an extended concert. He rocked the house for nearly 2 & a half hours. Grupo Control took the stage on Sunday to the delight of the waiting crowd.
With the help of volunteers & fair staff, the youth exhibitors enjoyed barns that were refurbished with new roofs & upgraded electrical components prior to the fair. Exhibitors skillfully competed for coveted blue ribbons & title of Grand and Reserve Champion. Results will be posted to the Fair website in the coming days.
The Annual Youth Livestock Auction was held on Saturday. Although the auction total was down from last year (surely a sign of the struggling economy), local businesses, the community & friends came out in support of the county youth.
Those interested in recognizing the hard work that goes into a livestock project can do so by sending an add-on in the name of the child they would like to support. Add-on information & requests are available online & should be sent directly to the Pinal County Junior Livestock Committee. “Kids work hard for months to prepare their project for the fair. Many children rely on the proceeds from the auction & their add-ons to fund future projects as well educational programs,” says Holly Norris, Executive Director of the Committee.
Fair attendees were treated to some new shows & some returning favorites. The Amazing Rain Forest was a new addition to the entertainment lineup with a tiger, monkey, fox & birds on display. Magician Godfrey brought real magic to audiences daily. Acts brought back by popular demand included Kobert’s Amazing World of Birds, Doggies of the Wild West & Hypnotist Susan Rosen. These great family shows & the concerts are free with fair admission, making the Pinal County Fair an entertainment bargain.
Guests concerned with their budgets benefitted from the discounted ride tickets that were sold prior to the fair. There was a marginal increase in the pre-sold discount tickets. The carnival experienced a slight drop in the number of onsite tickets sold. Although Sunday turned windy for most of the day, overall Fair attendance was up over last year. The number of youth exhibitors showing livestock also increased from previous years.
“People came out to the fair & had fun! That makes this year’s fair a success,” says Michael Searle, Fair Marketing Director.
The tentative dates for the 2009 Pinal County Fair are March 25th - 29th, 2009. Be sure to visit, pinalcountyfair.com for information on participating or visiting the fair.