Image via Big Fresno Fair Facebook page

The Big Fresno Fair’s board of directors, management and staff announced the successful completion of the 2017 Big Fresno Fair, which ran from Oct. 4-15.

For only the third time in the fair’s 134-year history it broke 600,000 people in attendance as a 12-day event. Final attendance for the 12 days of the 2017 Big Fresno Fair attendance was 609,036, an increase of 0.52 percent since last year. Concessions sales saw a 5.08 percent increase. The Jr. Livestock Auctions also experienced a record year. While add-ons are still being processed, total sales are estimated to be in excess of $920,000, which is an increase from last year’s record-breaking total of $916,000.

During the 12-day run of the fair, guests were treated to a wide variety of new and free attractions such as the Bug-Ology Exhibit, Timberworks Lumberjack Show, Walk on the Wild Side Cat Exhibit and the Water Shed projection mapping module, along with the addition of the Community Cultural Center in the Fresno County Historical Museum and the Fresno Motel, Louie Kee Market and Eddie’s Speed Shop signs.

Entertainment included sold-out shows by Chris Young, Chicago, Ice Cube, Gabriel Iglesias, Ja Rule and Ashanti and Ramon Ayala as part of the Table Mountain Concert Series, the first-ever Big Fresno Fair Craft Brew Fest, live horse racing, a Jr. Livestock Auction, along with new weekend admissions policies.

“I could not be more proud of the Fair we were able to put forth this year for the community to enjoy,” said John C. Alkire, CEO of the The Big Fresno Fair. “We had the largest number of new attractions and entertainment to feature, great savings opportunities and the safest fair we’ve had in years! The new admissions policy really shifted the crowds on weekends; you saw more families out at the fair later at night and that’s a heart-warming sight!”