Terrorism may not have hurt fair attendance

Red, white and blue dotted the grounds Saturday, the final day of the SEMO District Fair, and most conversations seemed to be focused on the disaster on the East Coast and possible U.S. retaliation.

Fair board member Pete Poe, who handles publicity for the fair, said he expects to see similar numbers to last year's attendance. The 2000 fair saw a combined total attendance of 103,101, a modest 3 percent increase over the year before.

"The weather cooperated, but we had some down days," he said.

Easily the most difficult day was Tuesday, when the World Trade Center was destroyed and the Pentagon was attacked by terrorists.

Vendors gave mixed reports on how recent tragedy affected business.

Subdued people moved through the fairgrounds Saturday afternoon, and the music from the normally raucous rides seemed muffled.

"I think they just need a sense of community and to be where other people are," said Randi Brothers, serving shaved ice.

She said her single-product business "probably didn't turn $5 Tuesday" and saw poor sales the rest of the week.

Workers at games on the midway reported less traffic than normal, despite balmy temperatures and clear skies.

The mechanical bull-riding ring was deserted, and the operator said business had been slow during the entire fair, speculating that the light traffic had more to do with competition with other events in town than Tuesday's tragedy.

And with slower-than-average business, Jurrock's Park petting zoo was charging half-price admission.

Other vendors said traffic has been fine.

Clerks at Sivories food stands reported no change and said bad weather in the past has had more of an ill effect than the disaster Tuesday. Vendors at the Budweiser stand had similar reports.

The national crisis aside, the fair had already faced the difficulties of a slower economy and construction work closing one of the main routes to Arena Park.

Still, Poe said the fair isn't in any financial trouble. Tickets sales for Charley Pride's Saturday night concert were brisk and other events sold well too, he said.

And how the event fared is of little importance compared to the national crisis, he said. "Our event is mighty small in the scheme of things."

abuchanan@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160