The 11-day Colorado State Fair attracted 517,140 people, more than 20,000 above the attendance recorded in 2009, state officials announced today.
The attendance is the best recorded since the fair switched from a 17-day event to an 11-day event in 2005, according to Christi Lightcap, spokeswoman for the fair.
“We regularly had over half-a-million people when it was a 17-day event,” said Lightcap.
The fair, which is a division of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, has shown a steady increase in attendance in recent years.
In 2009, the attendance was 496,652; 2008, 486,659; 2007, 485,038 and 2006, 452,014.
Chris Wiseman, the fair’s general manager, was pleased with the increase.
“We are thrilled with this year’s attendance numbers. Management and staff continue to work throughout the year to develop an event that provides top quality entertainment for the family budget,” said Wiseman. “I believe our increased attendance figures are a reflection of that effort.”
Among the highlights of this year’s fair was the annual Colorado Touchstone Energy Cooperative Junior Livestock Sale which raised $360,600 for Colorado’s 4-H and FFA youth – nearly $10,000 more than the 2009 sale.
On Aug. 30, the fair hosted the Cowboys Kickin’ Cancer Fundraiser. It raised $34,856 for the St. Mary Corwin Cancer Center’s Patient Needs Fund.
Lightcap said the amount raised at the cancer event was approximately the same as the last three years combined.
Lightcap said more than 58,000 people attended the Colorado State Fair entertainment series including the 50th PRCA Dodge Rodeo, concerts and monster trucks.
She also noted that it did not rain during the 11 days of the fair.
This was the 138th year for the fair.Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
