Weather Dampens Indiana State Fair Attendance

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Final numbers show this year's Indiana State Fair had nearly 20 percent fewer attendees than last year's event.

Indiana State Fair officials said late Sunday that overall attendance this year down 19.4 percent with about 730,000 visitors compared to last year, which had the fifth-largest crowds. Fair officials cited heat indexes of higher than 87 degrees and nine days of rain for the drop.

Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center executive director Cindy Hoye said "this fair we got a glimpse of what a farmer can deal with during a season with less than favorable weather."

Attendance was good on Sunday though. The last day of the fair had good weather and set a new final Sunday attendance record for the 17-day event with about 83,000 in attendance.