LITTLE ROCK — After a dismal opening day troubled by rain and cold, Arkansas State Fair officials said attendance rebounded Saturday, setting the event’s single-day attendance record.
State Fair spokesman Ralph Eubanks said 88,769 people walked through the gates at the Little Rock fairgrounds, breaking the 87,890-person record set at last year’s fair.
The first Saturday of the fair has drawn anywhere from 70,000 to 85,000 in the past six years, according to Eubanks, who said this Saturday had the benefit of good weather and one of their bigger live music acts bringing people in.
“It was a big show ... great turnout, it was packed,” Eubanks said of a set played by The Ohio Players. “It was a very, very good Saturday.”
Eubanks said he thinks the record attendance will help make up for the “terrible” attendance on the first day of the 10-day event, one caused by rains that started mid-afternoon and never let up.
“Friday? We had 11,820 people,” Eubanks said. “For comparison, last year’s opening day had over 44,000. We were down 74 percent.”
Eubanks said that with more rain forecast for later in the week, it’s too early to tell if the fair will meet or exceed the record overall attendance set by the 472,000 people who came in 2010.
“I don’t know ... when the sprinkles started [Friday], that just killed the evening attendance,” Eubanks said.
“With good weather for seven or eight days left ... we could come close to threatening an all-time record.”
The Arkansas State Fair, located at 2600 Howard Street, runs through Sunday.
State Fair schedule
MONDAY, OCT. 15 Wendy’s Main Stage 7:30 p.m. Joe Darr and the Vista
Cruze Band Farm Bureau Arts & Crafts Building 11:30 a.m. Open Baked Foods
competition 3:15 p.m. Karo-Cookie and
Dessert Contest Arkansas Building 5:30 p.m. Southwest Regional
Youth Talent and Fair Queen
competition Livestock competition 9 a.m. Market goat competition
Arkansas, Pages 8 on 10/15/2012