by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Event ended Sunday; official numbers next week
While the rides have been dismantled, games packed up and the smell of food no longer fills the Fairgrounds air, Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair officials can now look back and take stock on how the 12-day event went.
If early analysis matches the ongoing finances and attendance audit, it’d be as sweet as cotton candy found in abundance at the annual event.
“It went terrific,” said Gayle Hart, Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair vice president of marketing. “We have no numbers yet, but in comparison with last year it was absolutely terrific.”
The challenges of last year — running the same days with the annual Florida-Georgia tilt and a presidential election — were nowhere to be found this year, she said. That meant stronger attendance numbers, including a great opening day.
The figures won’t be in for at least a week, but the one factor Fair officials couldn’t control might have stopped them from having a record year, Hart anticipates.
“Overall the weather was great except for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,” she said, referring to the overcast and rainy conditions due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida which came through the area last week.
“If they had been clear, I think we would have broken the (attendance) record,” she said.
New musical acts and games brought people, she said, but it might have been the overall change in amusement companies that sparked the most comments. Belle City Amusements, billed as “America’s Cleanest Midway,” lived up to its moniker.
“They were a cut above,” said Hart. “We (Fair officials) were really impressed, but we really got some great comments about them from people.”
In terms of individual entertainment draws, Hart noted the various country music acts and the weekend’s “Wheel of Fortune” tryouts at the Baseball Grounds as popular features. In addition, one attraction held at the same time as the fair, contrary to popular belief she says, helped: the Jaguars home game Nov. 7 against Kansas City.
“It’s happened in the past and it does help,” she said, regarding Jaguars home games running in unison with the Fair. “It doesn’t hinder us.”
While talks of moving the event out of Downtown have cropped up over the year, Hart said she doesn’t know the Fair’s future except that it’s “here for a while” and will build on its recent success.
“Oh absolutely,” she said. “Everything went smoothly and we’re looking forward to building on its success from this year.”
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