Fair announced attendance numbers

This year’s St. Joseph County Grange Fair attracted about 150,000 people, a figure confirmed Monday by fair manager Bill Johnson.
Johnson said the process of establishing an accurate attendance count, however, is a moving target due to several variables. For example, he said, fair officials traditionally calculate attendance by assessing how many patrons paid each day, then using a multiplier derived from the International Association of Fairs and Exhibitions.
The attendance figure includes about 35,000 youth 14 years of age and under admitted free; thousands of passes given to sponsors and vendors; all patrons 18 and under who entered free on Kids’ Day; discounted livestock passes; volunteers, directors and employees; 4-H participants and 4-H judges, volunteers, parents and leaders; and hundreds of carnival-ride employees.
Considering the coldest weather came on opening day, when the temperature was in the low 70s, Johnson said the fair hit the jackpot in 2015 in terms of weather.
The fair board’s next project is planning the 2016 event, set for Sept. 18-24.