Fair sets another attendance record

COLUMBUS (AP) – A record number of people attended the Ohio State Fair this year.

The 12-day event broke the attendance record for the third consecutive year. Organizers say 982,305 visitors entered the gates between July 29 and Sunday. That’s an increase of more than 7 percent over last year, which broke the record set in 2013.

The Ohio State Fair’s popular butter display features the traditional butter cow and calf and life-size sculptures of Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and Brutus Buckeye. American Dairy Assn. Mideast
Nearly 1 million people flocked to the Ohio State Fair to see the butter sculpture featuring OSU head football coach Urban Meyer. American Dairy Assn. Mideast

The fair set a new opening day attendance record, too, drawing 59,324 guests on Wednesday, July 29. Organizers were blessed with clear, sunny weather for most the fair’s run.

The record attendance and higher spending at the fair came despite the statewide cancellation of poultry shows because of the highly contagious avian flu that has killed millions of birds nationwide.

The 2016 Ohio State Fair will run from July 27 to Aug. 7.