State Fair Battles Rain, Accident With success

Click here for pictures from the fair

By Saturday, 615,221 people had come to enjoy the fair's rides and indulge in unusual foods.

By the same time last year, 618,557 people had attended.

But fair officials -- judging from the heavy traffic Sunday -- predicted that more people turned out for the fair's final day this year than did for the same day last year.

A total of 695,177 fairgoers turned up last year.

Mike Blanton, assistant commissioner of the N.C. Department of Agriculture, said it is hard to judge this year's attendance in reference to last year's because attendance probably was lower than usual then because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "In general, most people avoided large public events," he said.

Morris Vivona, general manager of Amusements of America, said the death of one of the company's ride operators affected this year's fair attendance less than did high rainfall.

Fairgoers and workers saw four days of rainy weather this year, compared with one day last year, and Blanton said the fair would have had record-breaking attendance if it hadn't rained.

John Hamel, an annual pizza vendor at the fair, said the crowds seemed smaller this year though revenue totals were about the same.

Blanton said that the N.C. Agricultural Department spends about $4 million on the fair each year and that as long as it generates enough money to pay for itself, it will continue.

But Blanton said the fair's success does not depend on profit.

"If people had a good time, it was a success," Blanton said.

Fairgoer Candace Stanley said she thought the crowds were smaller, possibly because of the poor economy, but that the fair was still a hit with her family.

Stanley said she comes to the fair with her family each year because there is something for everyone.

"I look at the exhibits, and my kids get to enjoy the rides. We all eat way too much," she said.

In a satisfaction survey, 86 percent of N.C. fairgoers said they were more satisfied with the 2002 midway than in previous years.

Forty-four percent of those surveyed gave the midway's rides a perfect 10 based on the rides' enjoyment.

These numbers are based on 392 face-to-face interviews conducted by Johnston, Zabor, McManus Inc, an independent market research firm.

Vivona said this is the first year Amusements of America, which serves 95 events a year from March to November, was contracted by the N.C. Agriculture Department.

Strates Shows provided midway services for the state fair for 53 years prior to Amusements of America's takeover.

Vivona said his company was hired because Jim Graham, long-time commissioner of the N.C. Department of Agriculture, retired, and Meg Scott Phipps took his place.

"She wanted to open up competition this year, and we were the best," he said.

Vivona said he hopes to work for the N.C. State Fair again next year.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.