In spite of hot weather, attendance at the California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles rose slightly, to 411,511 over last year’s 410,874, said CEO Vivian Robertson.
“Most days were pretty hot, but made for beautiful evenings,” Robertson said.
A 2-Fer Tuesday season pass also helped, Robertson added, noting that the pass, good for all 12 days of the July 17-28 fair, had a 30 percent increase in May presales over last year.
Paid attendance was 269,520, once again up slightly over last year’s 268,008 and gate revenues were $1,638,918, a healthy 1.4 percent up over last year’s $1,435,205.
“Gate revenues were up this year because we increased the front gate prices this year at fair time by only $2 in order to alleviate some of the gate congestion,” Robertson said. “All the pre-sales prices remained the same as previous years.”
Gate admission was $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens 65 and older and $6 for ages 6 to 12.
“We offered many pre-sale promotional opportunities through the box office, Internet, Albertson’s and Farm Supply Co. that all evidenced increases,” she said. “Patrons are still looking for deals.”
Pre-sales did go up both at Albertson’s and at the box office, Robertson noted.
“And the biggest plus was that the lines to buy admission tickets were much shorter as we have ‘express lanes’ for all pre-sale tickets and guests sailed right through,” she added.
Davis Enterprises of Fontana, Calif., provided rides for the midway, Robertson said. Once again, presales that allows fairgoers to get a pay-one-price wristband for $23 in advance of the fair were up over last year’s, she added.
The wristbands were sold all day during the fair and cost $30 on weekdays and $35 on weekends.
Concerts took place in the 14,661-seat Main Grandstand Arena, Robertson said. No act sold out but three drew in more than 10,000 concert-goers.
Rascal Flatts and The Band Perry attracted the largest audience, with 11,921, followed by Tim McGraw with Kip Moore with 11,412, and Van Halen at 10,002. Other acts and attendance were John Mayer with Phillip Phillips, 8,969; Matchbox 20 and Goo Goo Dolls, 6,977; Huey Lewis and The News, 5,446, and Trace Atkins with Brantley Gilbert, 4,053.
The complete lineup, plus ticket prices, included McGraw, $100, $75, $65, $50; Atkins and Gilbert, $80, $50, $40, $30; Adam Lambert, $40, $25; Sail Rock, $15; Matchbox 20, $80, $55, $45, $35; John Mayer, $95, $70, $60, $45; Rascal Flatts, $100, $75, $65, $50; Van Halen, $180, $110, $85, $50; Brit Floyd, free; and Huey Lewis & The News, $60, $40.
The grandstand also was the location of a monster truck show that drew in 5,802 and the country rodeo finals at 5,146.
The entertainment budget was $3.1 million, a hefty portion of the fair’s overall $10.9 million budget.
The marketing budget was $250,000, and the fair used both traditional and social media, although less has been put into display advertising in recent years, Robertson said.
“We secured additional highway billboards this year out of the area but within our market,” she added. “Also, the Internet pop-up ads have readership value.”
The fair also had ticket giveaways on Facebook, Robertson said, and was the first fair in the nation to have a smartphone app, which went into use in 2009.
Next year’s dates will be July 16-27.
Interviewed for this article: Vivian Robertson, (805) 239-0655