A new circus show, sunny weather and, of course, plenty of deep-fried fair food helped boost attendance at this year’s Hawaii County Fair. ADVERTISING A new circus show, sunny weather and, of course, plenty of deep-fried fair food helped boost
A new circus show, sunny weather and, of course, plenty of deep-fried fair food helped boost attendance at this year’s Hawaii County Fair.
Organizers say about 27,000 people came out for the Hilo Jaycees four-day event, which kicked off Thursday night and ran through Sunday. A typical year draws between 20,000 and 30,000 fairgoers.
“This year was pretty good as far as attendance,” fair organizer Kelton Chang said.
Heavy rain dampened attendance Thursday evening, he said, but the number of people attending the fair was steady Friday and higher than average on Saturday and Sunday, both days featuring blue skies and sunshine. Saturday drew between 15,000 and 16,000 visitors — about 2,000 more than average for that day, Chang said. Saturday evening also was Hoolaulea, a popular annual Downtown Hilo block party with live music.
“It was interesting,” Chang said. “We thought we were going to be low that particular day being that we had two major events in Hilo. I’m assuming more people from the west side came.”
E.K. Fernandez Shows Inc. debuted a new “Fun Pass” card system this year, where attendees loaded credits onto a card in lieu of paying with cash. The card was hoped to help streamline the ride and food purchasing process but some fairgoers said on social media that it created long lines and confusion. Chang said E.K. Fernandez plans to introduce next year a smartphone app that will allow fairgoers to load a card via their cellphone instead of waiting in line.
Chang said the “Amazing Anastasini Circus” also was popular during its first stint at the Hawaii County Fair. The traveling circus show, which performed multiple times during the fair, drew “attendance through the roof” Friday and Saturday, Chang said, and filled the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium to capacity.
“We are trying to bring more of these types of acts to Hilo,” Chang said. “It’s something different to see and it gives the community and residents who may not be able to get off the island a chance to see these performances, which are normally on the mainland.”
Money raised each year helps fund various Hilo Jaycees community projects including its scholarship program. Chang said fundraising totals for this year weren’t available.
He said the Hilo Jaycees are looking forward to seeing a paving project completed by next year’s fair that will create additional parking.
“We were pleased,” he said. “Overall, it was a great success.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
