Strong finish pushes SEMO District Fair attendance past 2021

This story is updated to correct the name of the Fair Board vice president quoted in the article.

The Sept. 10 to 17 SEMO District Fair saw a 2.2% year-to-year increase in admissions over 2021, according to information newly released by the Fair Board.

Fair admissions totaled 82,887 last month compared to 80,637 in 2021.

"Attendance was behind (last year) going into the last Friday and Saturday (but) we had a strong end to the fair, which I attribute to the truck and tractor pull and the demolition derby," said Dustin Richardson, Fair Board vice president.

The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center reported 66 food stands operated during the eight-day fair, a lower number than in previous years.

Richardson said this reduction was planned.

"Vendor sites were cut back by design to 'open up' the fairgrounds and allow for more areas for sitting or standing to reduce congestion," said Richardson, adding a few vendors did cancel, "but this is normal to have a couple not make it every year."

The SEMO District Fair, unlike the larger Missouri State Fair in Sedalia and Ozark Empire Fair in Springfield, is predominantly staffed by volunteers and is the largest "pop-up" fair in the state — since Arena Park does not have a year-round paid staff nor a permanent fairground.

"In terms of volunteer participation, since 2020, it been tough," Richardson admitted. "Several business and organizations that would send or find people to help have backed away or cut back. Volunteers in general are getting harder to find every year. Even the paid positions such as janitorial/sanitation and grounds crew were a struggle to find and keep this year."

Because of COVID-19, there was no fair held in 2020.

Revenue

"We should be in the black this year from what I have seen so far," Richardson said. "(We) still have bills coming in from several of our vendors, and our accountant has to get it all entered. I won't know how much to the good until we receive that report in November; I feel it won't be as good as 2021. I do know the concerts hurt us pretty bad, but attendance was good and the carnival did close to 2021 numbers (but) were off probably 10%. Vendors and concessions did good, and all other shows did pretty well."

The lack of precipitation during the fair made for "perfect fair weather," Richardson said.

"My only complaint I feel hurt our attendance would be the Show Me Center booking a concert on the same night as one of ours," Richardson concluded.

The 2023 SEMO District Fair is scheduled Sept. 9 to 16.