Omaha Forums

Here are the final numbers for the fair: The Iowa State Fair drew 1,117,398 people this year, marking an all-time high in attendance.

The previous record was 1,109,150 people in 2008. The 2011 fair came close to breaking that with 1,080,959 attendees.

Here's a day-by-day breakdown of attendance:

DAY 1: 91,569 (2014: 77,174)
DAY 2: 95,624 (2014: 93,041)
DAY 3: 115,959 (2014: 103,555)
DAY 4: 101,783 (2014: 88,578)
DAY 5: 92,837 (2014: 87,343)
DAY 6: 75,436 (2014: 94,600)
DAY 7: 106,367 (2014: 93,256)
DAY 8: 107,449 (2014: 84,388)
DAY 9: 106,622 (2014: 85,998 )
DAY 10: 111,931 (2014: 108,440)
DAY 11: 111,821 ( 2014: 99,529)

Def Leppard beat out Carrie Underwood as this year's most popular Grandstand act. Here's how the other musicians fared:

Casting Crowns: 7,601
Justin Moore: 8,871
Def Leppard: 10,719
Reba McEntire: 10,335
Carrie Underwood: 10,635
Yes & Toto: 3,568
Tractor Pull: 6,193
Alabama: 9,981
The Fray: 4,462
Rock-A-Thon: 3,984

So that is about 4X as many people as Nebraska state fair.

I don't know anyone from Iowa that comes over for the Nebraska state fair, but I know people here in Nebraska that take days off work to go to the Iowa State Fair.

One other thing that skews the numbers is a little is that Iowa has almost double the Population of Nebraska.

Also having the state fair in the most-populated and capital city that is located near the center of the state geographically helps. I wish Omaha had the NE state fair, but I don't think Omaha has the agricultural roots that other parts of the state have.

skinzfan23 wrote:Also having the state fair in the most-populated and capital city that is located near the center of the state geographically helps. I wish Omaha had the NE state fair, but I don't think Omaha has the agricultural roots that other parts of the state have.

IT also helps to care about your state fair, witch Nebraska didn't for quite a few years before moving it from Lincoln to Grand Island. It has done well in GI. I was not in favor of the move but they have won me over and it was best for the fair and they have done a great job with it. That is from someone that has been at the Nebraska State fair for at least one day a year since at lest 1980.

Just for giggles...

In reviewing the figures from news stories online, it was a mixed bag of above or below average attendance with most of the fairs reporting either record high figures or weather related decreases.


2014 Attendance figures
Minnesota State Fair (Falcon Hts) 1,824,830
Wisconsin State Fair (West Allis) 1,030,881
Iowa State Fair (Des Moines) 1,015,902
Ohio State Fair (Columbus) 916,724
Illinois State Fair (Springfield) 847,000 est
Indiana State Fair (Indianapolis) 773,000 est
Colorado State Fair (Pueblo) 498,720
Arkansas State Fair (Little Rock) 400,000 est
Missouri State Fair (Sedalia) 361,496
Kansas State Fair (Hutchinson) 355,329
Nebraska State Fair (Grand Island) 317,785
North Dakota State Fair (Minot) 314,446
South Dakota State Fair (Huron) 210,465
Michigan State Fair (Novi) 92,000 est
Wyoming State Fair (Douglas) 60,000 est
Montana State Fair (Great Falls) 56,798

Wow I had no idea ours was so low on the list and I had no idea Iowa's was so high.

Texas, Minnesota and Iowa are kind of the "Big 3" when it comes to State Fairs. Large attendance figures and good reputations in good locations.

I knew Wisconsin and Iowa were up there, but until recently when I looked it up, I had no idea Minnesota's was so well attended. I think I might have to check that out some year.

skinzfan23 wrote:I knew Wisconsin and Iowa were up there, but until recently when I looked it up, I had no idea Minnesota's was so well attended. I think I might have to check that out some year.

Bizarre Foods had an episode that featured the Minnesota Fair, it looked really cool.

The NoDak state fair is in Minot? Interesting.

Minnesota State Fair makes Iowa's feel like, well, the Nebraska State Fair.

Personally, I enjoy the small county fairs better. I miss the old Douglas County fairs in Waterloo.

Texas State Fair makes Minnesota State Fair look like.......

Not really, the Minnesota State Fair has the largest average attendance per day. It just happens the Texas State Fair runs twice as long.

Been to both. Texas wins.

Having a larger daily attendance doesn't make for a better fair.

The Iowa State Fair does enjoy one huge advantage over many other fairs. Just as it''s state primary is earlier than most, Iowa State Fair runs through August 23rd, while the Des Moines public schools don't begin the new school year till August 26th.

Conversely, Grand Island public schools began August 12th.

Iowa State Fair attendance was down over 86,000 (7.7 %) from 2015's record year:

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

MTO wrote:Wow I had no idea ours was so low on the list and I had no idea Iowa's was so high.

I have never been to the NE state fair but have gone to the IA state fair several times. I think the main issue is that the entertainment announcements are not as great in NE. The other key factor is that when we do go to the fair it is not just for the fair. We make a couple days out of it and go to Jordan creek, adventureland, or the casino. I do not know too much about Grand Island, but do not see it as a destination for more than just the fair....

skinzfan23 wrote:Iowa State Fair attendance was down over 86,000 (7.7 %) from 2015's record year:

Do you think it was the heat?

The stories say that it was completely related to weather. I hate hearing this: Fair CEO Gary Slater told the Des Moines Register that “the numbers weren’t down because of any other reason other than weather.”

How does he absolutely, positively know this. People shouldn't make a statement like that unless they have evidence to support it. I am sure the weather plays a big part in attendance no doubt, but the weather wasn't horrible for all 11 days.

skinzfan23 wrote:The stories say that it was completely related to weather. I hate hearing this: Fair CEO Gary Slater told the Des Moines Register that “the numbers weren’t down because of any other reason other than weather.”

How does he absolutely, positively know this. People shouldn't make a statement like that unless they have evidence to support it. I am sure the weather plays a big part in attendance no doubt, but the weather wasn't horrible for all 11 days.

If they can show that the days with down numbers are the days with high heat year on year it is a pretty good assumption. Not saying they can or did but it is justifiable.

nebugeater wrote: If they can show that the days with down numbers are the days with high heat year on year it is a pretty good assumption. Not saying they can or did but it is justifiable.

I agree, the weather has the single most impact on outdoor events but there may have been other factors as well.