HUTCHINSON, Kan. – A record number of people attended the Kansas State Fair this year. The best-ever crowd also set new records for Midway revenue and Kansas Lottery ticket sales. This year’s Fair took place Sept. 11-20 in Hutchinson.
The audited audience for 2015 was 369,322, beating the previous record, set in 1995, by more than 7,500 attendees. Mother Nature was definitely on the Fair’s side, delivering pleasant, cooperating weather throughout.
Pat Repp, of North American Midway, said the 2014 Fair set the record for largest Midway growth, and the 2015 Midway surpassed that with another 8.1 percent increase.
With the help of a strong Nex-Tech Wireless Grandstand entertainment lineup and talented performers at the free stages, the Fair continued to attract crowds throughout the grounds. Pumpkin growers got in on the act, too. The largest-ever pumpkin weighed in at 1,034 pounds – so big the judges had to call in a special scale in order to confirm its victory.
The Kansas Lottery has been a presence at the Kansas State Fair since the first lottery ticket was sold and this year provided the most excitement yet. Players visited the Lottery building in large numbers to buy $1 Fried N’ Joy instant scratch tickets and other lottery products, driving sales to a new record.
Inspired by the record turnout, the Kansas State fair is already planning for next year with the fair scheduled for Sept. 9 through 18, 2016.