Iowa State Fair 2016 had fewer visits, more umbrellas
As the 2016 Iowa State Fair kicked off Aug. 11, fair CEO Gary Slater was determined not to let anything rain on his parade. But the skies opened immediately that morning.
After multiple stretches of rain juxtaposed with “hot and humid” days, the fair’s attendance was down by about 86,000 this year from the record-breaking 1,117,398 visitors last year. The final 2016 tally was 1,031,278. Slater blames the weather for the drop.
“A lot of activities ran smoothly … from entertainment to fairgoer satisfaction, everything went very well,” Slater said. “The numbers weren’t down because of any other reason other than weather.”
Slater also said comparing the two years was like comparing a candied apple with a pickle on a stick. Attendance in 2016 was actually up by about 15,000 people from 2014.
Though attendance numbers have fluctuated in the last 10 years, Slater says counting heads isn’t what the fair is about.
“Numbers do not tell the story of any fair, especially the Iowa State Fair,” Slater said. “It is the quality of all of the events and the way that it’s presented and received.”
2016 State Fair attendance by day
Day 1: 70,927 (2015: 91,569)
Day 2: 90,259 (2015: 95,624)
Day 3: 113,873 (2015: 115,959)
Day 4: 97,923 (2015: 101,783)
Day 5: 93,092 (2015: 92,837)
Day 6: 88,171 (2015: 75,436)
Day 7: 95,881 (2015: 106,367)
Day 8: 85,366 (2015: 107,449)
Day 9: 86,674 (2015: 106,622)
Day 10: 112,672 (2015: 111,931)
Day 11: 96,440 (2015: 111,821)
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Summing up a wild State Fair with stats, colorful characters and a few kings
Attendance history
2016: 1,031,278
2015: 1,117,398
2014: 1,015,902
2013: 1,047,246
2012: 1,097,142
2011: 1,080,959
2010: 967,381
2009: 1,006,501
2008: 1,109,150
2007: 1,003,210