Click here to view the 2007 TOP 50 FAIRS list!
Click here to view the 2007 TOP carnivals!
After a season of preparing stories and articles on fairs, carnivals and events, we
decided to undertake the task of producing a Top 50 fairs and carnivals list, carrying on
a popular tradition begun by Amusement Business Magazine. Old copies of the lists are
available through the Amusement Business website for purchase @ $10 each. In keeping with
our business plan, we make the lists available on our website free of charge.
There are some variations from past lists that we would like to point out. First is our
estimate of the Texas State Fair attendance. For many years, the Texas State Fair and the
Ohio State Fair competed to have the largest attendance in the country, reporting number
in excess of 3,000,000 people. Beginning with the administration of Rick Frenette the Ohio
State Fair began reporting a more accurate attendance of 800,000 to 900,000. The Texas
State Fair then began to report only food and ride sales from coupons and did not release
attendance figures. Amusement Business continued to estimate the Texas State Fair
attendance at 3,000,000. We decided to try to get at a more accurate estimate and came to
a per capita spending figure based upon the data garnered from several other major fairs.
Hopefully the number we arrived at is more accurate than what has been previously
reported. Nonetheless, the Texas State Fair remains #1 on our Top 50.
Only one fair, the Greater Jacksonville Fair, did not have accurate numbers available by
press time. Since they did not have an estimate when the numbers would be available or an
estimate for 2006 attendance, we decided to go with an estimated attendance based on past
history and we will update the list when the actual number becomes available.
New to the list this year is the Mid-South Fair in Memphis, reporting a 10% increase over
2005 numbers. The Kern County Fair returns to the list after an absence and the Maryland
State Fair , Dutchess County Fair (NY) and the Ionia Free Fair dropped from the list this
year.
Several new carnivals made the 2006 list. Power’s Great American made a big debut
with the North Carolina State Fair. Crabtree Amusements landed the Colorado State Fair and
Shamrock Shows held the midway for the Big Fresno Fair.
Compiling this list is not an easy task. You have to make decisions about how to quantify
attendance numbers, which events constitute a fair and whether or not free fairs should be
included. For our first list, we held steady to the traditions of the lists that came
before us. If you have suggestions or ideas about how to better rank the fairs and what
the criteria for qualifications should be, please let us know. We would appreciate your
input.
Here is the MCW Top 50 fairs lists:
Click here to view the 2007
TOP 50 FAIRS list!
Click here to view the 2007 TOP carnivals!
Click here to view the 2006 Carnivals Playing the Top 50
Fairs list!
- Texas State Fair - Dallas, TX
September 29 - October 22, 2006 - Independent Midway
2006 Attendance: 1,875,000*
2005 Attendance: 1,696,429 - Change: 10%
- Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo - Houston, TX
February 28 - March 19, 2006 - Ray Cammack Shows
2006 Attendance: 1,688,103
2005 Attendance: 1,740,095 - Change: -3%
- Minnesota State Fair - St. Paul, MN
August 24 - September 4, 2006 - Independent Midway
2006 Attendance: 1,680,579
2005 Attendance: 1,632,876 - Change: 3%
- Los Angeles County Fair - Pomona, CA
September 8 - October 1, 2006 - Ray Cammack Shows
2006 Attendance: 1,427,656
2005 Attendance: 1,328,105 - Change: 7%
- Canadian National Exhibition - Toronto, ON (Canada)
August 18 - September 4, 2006 - North American Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 1,380,000
2005 Attendance: 1,248,600 - Change: 10%
- Arizona State Fair - Phoenix, AZ
October 13 - November 5, 2006 - Ray Cammack Shows
2006 Attendance: 1,303,690
2005 Attendance: 1,276,359 - Change: 2%
- Calgary Stampede - Calgary, ALB (Canada)
July 7 - July 16, 2006 - North American Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 1,262,518
2005 Attendance: 1,242,182 - Change: 2%
- San Diego County Fair - Del Mar, CA
June 10 - July 4, 2006 - Independent Midway
2006 Attendance: 1,205,719
2005 Attendance: 1,214,902 - Change: -1%
- San Antonio Livestock Show & Ex. - San Antonio, TX
February 3 - February 19, 2006 - Wade Shows
2006 Attendance: 1,153,978
2005 Attendance: 1,095,939 - Change: 5%
- Western Washington Fair - Puyallup, WA
September 8 - September 24, 2006 - Funtastic Shows
2006 Attendance: 1,131,276
2005 Attendance: 1,117,707 - Change: 1%
- Eastern States Exhibition - Springfield, MA
October 1 - October 15, 2006 - North American Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 1,116,353
2005 Attendance: 1,053,238 - Change: 6%
- Iowa State Fair - Des Moines, IA
August 10 - August 20, 2006 - Bluegrass Shows
2006 Attendance: 1,103,063
2005 Attendance: 1,002,642 - Change: 9%
- Tulsa State Fair - Tulsa, OK
September 28 - October 8, 2006 - Murphy Bros. Expo.
2006 Attendance: 1,055,948
2005 Attendance: 971,449 - Change: 8%
- Oklahoma State Fair - Oklahoma City, OK
September 14 - September 24, 2006 - Wade Shows
2006 Attendance: 1,000,000
2005 Attendance: 900,000 - Change: 10%
- Erie County Fair - Hamburg, NY
August 9 - August 20, 2006 - Strates Shows
2006 Attendance: 972,285
2005 Attendance: 855,664 - Change: 12%
- Pacific National Exhibition - Vancouver, BC (Canada)
August 19 - September 4, 2006 - West Coast Amusements
2006 Attendance: 958,781
2005 Attendance: 903,467 - Change: 6%
- Southwest Exposition & Livestock Show - Fort Worth, TX
January 13 - February 5, 2006 - Talley Amusements
2006 Attendance: 955,800
2005 Attendance: 941,100 - Change: 2%
- California State Fair - Sacramento, CA
August 11 - September 4, 2006 - Ray Cammack Shows
2006 Attendance: 941,502
2005 Attendance: 920,768 - Change: 2%
- New York State Fair - Syracuse, NY
August 24 - September 4, 2006- Strates Shows
2006 Attendance: 932,387
2005 Attendance: 960,145 - Change: -3%
- Orange County Fair - Costa Mesa, CA
July 8 - July 30, 2006 - Ray Cammack Shows
2006 Attendance: 924,315
2005 Attendance: 1,058,192 - Change: -14%
- Evergreen State Fair - Monroe, WA
August 24 - September 4, 2006 - Butler Amusements
2006 Attendance: 901,203
2005 Attendance: 837,550 - Change: 7%
- Indiana State Fair - Indianapolis, IN
August 9 - August 20, 2006 - North American Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 870,052
2005 Attendance: 820,248 - Change: 2%
- Wisconsin State Fair - West Allis, WI
August 3 - August 13, 2006 - Murphy Bros. Expo.
2006 Attendance: 861,408
2005 Attendance: 860,078 - Change: 0%
- Ohio State Fair - Columbus, OH
August 2 - August 13, 2006 - Amusements of America
2006 Attendance: 814,152
2005 Attendance:
- North Carolina State Fair - Raleigh, NC
October 13 - October 22, 2006 - Powers Great American Midways
2006 Attendance: 785,956
2005 Attendance: 795,930 - Change: -1%
- New Mexico State Fair - Albuquerque, NM
September 8 - September 24, 2006 - Murphy Bros. & Wade Shows
2006 Attendance: 738,664
2005 Attendance: 710,000 - Change: 4%
- National Western Stock Show - Denver, CO
January 7 - January 22, 2006 - No carnival midway
2006 Attendance: 727,000
2005 Attendance: 633,544 - Change: 13%
- Illinois State Fair - Springfield, IL
August 11 - August 20, 2006 - North American Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 705,691
2005 Attendance: 747,967 - Change: -6%
- Capital EX - Edmonton, ALB (Canada)
July 20 - July 29, 2006 - North American Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 688,369
2005 Attendance: 810,503 - Change: -18%
- Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo - Miami, FL
March 16 - April 2, 2006 - North American Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 675,000
2005 Attendance: 700,000 - Change: -4%
- Mississippi State Fair - Jackson, MS
October 4 - October 15, 2006 - North American Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 642,952
2005 Attendance: 663,816 - Change: -3%
- Kentucky State Fair - Louisville, KY
August 17 - August 27, 2006 - North American Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 614,477
2005 Attendance: 629,749 - Change: -2%
- Florida Strawberry Festival - Plant City, FL
March 2 - March 12, 2006 - Bluegrass Shows
2006 Attendance: 600,000
2005 Attendance: 750,000 - Change: -25%
- South Florida Fair - West Palm Beach, FL
January 13 - January 29, 2006 - Wade Shows
2006 Attendance: 598,268
2005 Attendance: 580,843 - Change: 3%
- Big Fresno Fair - Fresno, CA
October 4 - October 15, 2006 - Shamrock Shows
2006 Attendance: 571,051
2005 Attendance: 545,049 - Change: 5%
- York Fair - York, PA
September 8 - September 17, 2006- Reithoffer Shows
2006 Attendance: 544,934
2005 Attendance: 613,335 - Change: -13%
- Central Canada Exhibition - Ottawa, ON (Canada)
August 17 - August 27, 2006 - World’s Finest Shows
2006 Attendance: 528,762
2005 Attendance: 598,705 - Change: -13%
- Colorado State Fair - Pueblo, CO
August 25 - September 4, 2006 - Crabtree Amusements
2006 Attendance: 452,014
2005 Attendance: 463,000 - Change: -2%
- Greater Jacksonville Fair - Jacksonville, FL
November 1 - November 12, 2006 - Bluegrass Shows
2006 Attendance: 450,000*
2005 Attendance: 493,457 - Change: -10%
- Greeley Independence Stampede - Greeley, CO
June 23 - July 4, 2006 - Bill Hames Shows
2006 Attendance: 441,000
2005 Attendance: 448,000 - Change: -2%
- South Carolina State Fair - Columbia, SC
October 11 - October 22, 2006 - North Ameican Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 435,922
2005 Attendance: 508,394 - Change: -17%
- Florida State Fair - Tampa, FL
February 9 - February 20, 2006 - Independent midway
2006 Attendance: 434,067
2005 Attendance: 526,718 - Change: -21%
- Arkansas State Fair - Little Rock, AR
October 13 - October 22, 2006 - Deggeller Attractions
2006 Attendance: 433,062
2005 Attendance: 439,848 - Change: -2%
- Georgia National Fair - Perry, GA
October 5 - October 15, 2006 - Reithoffer Shows
2006 Attendance: 431,499
2005 Attendance: 400,615 - Change: 7%
- Allentown Fair - Allentown, PA
August 29 - September 4, 2006 - S & S Amusements
2006 Attendance: 431,000
2005 Attendance: 576,000 - Change: -34%
- Bloomsburg Fair - Bloomsburg, PA
September 23 - September 30, 2006 - Reithoffer Shows
2006 Attendance: 413,203
2005 Attendance: 441,655 - Change: -7%
- Pensacola Interstate Fair - Pensacola, FL
October 19 - October 29, 2006 - Reithoffer Shows
2006 Attendance: 413,000
2005 Attendance: 486,000 - Change: -18%
- Kern County Fair - Bakersfield, CA
September 20 - October 1, 2006 - Butler Amusements
2006 Attendance: 403,927
2005 Attendance: 394,310 - Change: 2%
- Mid South Fair - Memphis, TN
September 21 - October 1, 2006 - North American Midway Ent.
2006 Attendance: 400,382
2005 Attendance: 360,542 - Change: 10%
- Salem Free Fair - Salem, VA
June 29 - July 9, 2006 - Deggeller Attractions
2006 Attendance: 400,000
2005 Attendance: 400,000 - Change: 0%
2006 TOTAL TOP 50 FAIR ATTENDANCE: 41,475,968
2005 TOTAL TOP 50 FAIR ATTENCANCE: 41,197,789
Change: + 1%
(c) 2006 MCW - carnivalwarehouse.com
* MCW Estimate
Click here
to view the 2007 TOP 50 FAIRS list!
Click here to view the 2007 TOP carnivals!
Click here to view the 2006 Carnivals Playing the Top 50
Fairs list!
|
2006 Top 50 FAIRS