North Idaho Fair hits sales record

COEUR d'ALENE — For Laurie Branham, being an entertainer at the North Idaho State Fair was like taking a step back in time.

The staff and crowd provided down-home goodness she doesn't receive at other fairs. It has her looking forward to returning next year.

"I feel like it was 75 years ago, the way America used to be, when people connected with each other," Branham said on Monday as she finished loading her truck and Puppets and Players Little Theater trailer before hitting the road for her next fair. "I have never had a sweet experience as I did at this fair."

"The electrician met me soon after I showed up; other places they'll be there 10 minutes before the show. The entertainment director came to me daily to see if I needed water. The fair manager came to watch the show, and that just doesn't happen at other places. The politeness and sincerity of the children were amazing."

The upbeat mood also resonated with attendance and sales during the five-day event, said Alexcia Jordan, assistant general manager.

Jordan said total sales, including pre-event and gate admission sales and food vendor commissions, were up about 20 percent ($151,000) from last year and set an all-time fair record based on preliminary figures.

She said attendance figures will be available later this week.

"We'd be surprised if that isn't a record as well because we didn't raise admission prices," Jordan said.

Jordan said the 1,150-seat grandstands were sold out for the rodeo on Friday and Saturday and the demolition derby on Sunday. With the metal bleacher seating and VIP seats included, the arena holds 4,200 people and all of the stands were full during those events.

"They were sold out a day in advance," she said. "There were people standing all over."

She said the Thursday's Xtreme Bulls event was also nearly sold out.

Jordan attributed the high attendance to the sunny, warm weather and the various attractions that appealed to all ages. Last year's attendance was hampered by smoke from the wildfires in the region.

"We haven't had perfect weather in a long time," Jordan said. "Our goal was to bring something that the whole community could enjoy and fit into our theme of 'A World of Fun.' We tried to bring in fresh entertainment."

Branham called the attendance at her puppet shows "mind-blowing."

She said Wednesday's Sawyer Brown concert, which was free with admission, and the fireworks show afterward kicked off the fair with a bang.

"That may have been our best Wednesday ever, and I think Sawyer Brown had a lot to do with that," Jordan said.

She said the puppet show, Zuzu African Acrobats, Aussie Kingdom Kangaroos and Canadian Lumberjack Show — all new attractions — proved to be big hits.

Louise Bershers, a superintendent at the Culinary Arts Department, said the department being located in a new building proved to be a delight as there was adequate space for crowds to view the displays and the entries were in a more-visible location.

"The canning display (in the middle of the building) was especially well-received," she said as she prepared entries to be picked up. "Last year one of the shadow boxes fell and we had a nasty mess."

Table-setting entries made a comeback this year.

"People asked about it a lot when we first stopped doing it, so we brought it back," Bershers said.

Tim Thomas reflected on the fair as he took down the Stimson Lumber booth.

"I thought everything went great," he said. "We informed a lot of people about our company and jobs. It was well-attended and people seemed to be having a great time. Last year there was smoke from the fires and a windstorm tipped things over. It was much better this year."

Jordan said the lone injury that she's aware of was when a rodeo judge suffered a fractured knee on Friday night, when a bareback horse collided with him in the arena.

"The judge stuck it out and was around all weekend (to observe the rodeo)," she said. "He's doing OK."