The Big Fresno Fair returned in a big way as numbers show an attendance rebound.

Attendance for the 12-day event was 591,921, compared to 632,590 people in 2019 over 13 days, according to a news release.

That represents an average of 49,326 people per day in 2021, compared to 48,660 people in 2019. In 2020, the fair was a drive-thru event largely aimed at providing people with much sought after fair food. Attendance for that event was roughly 100,000.

Those attendance numbers come as windy weather was enough to shut down rides and horseraces for a day. Country music group Midland also had to cancel due to a positive Covid test in the road crew.

“It filled all of us with so much joy and gratitude to see our Fairgrounds come back to life,” said Stacy Rianda, deputy manager II with the Big Fresno Fair in the release. “To see families and friends out together and having fun. To hear laughter and music fill the air — to see the smiles on faces as we walked through the grounds. That is what it’s all about and why we worked so hard to survive the past year and come back with a family-friendly, safe event for our community to enjoy.”

Some numbers about the Fair:

—Over the six days of live horse racing, there were 50 races with an average of six horses per race. This was down .81% compared to nine days of racing in 2019.

—There were 818 exhibitors at the Livestock Pavilion. A total of 635 animals were sold garnering $944,616.

—Fair food sales were up 3.94% over 2019.

—The fair employed 545 people, not including those hired by the carnival and individual food stands.

—There were 6,487 pints of blood collected at the Pint for a Pass event with the Central California Blood Center.

—Fresno County students received $87,000 in scholarships as part of the Fair’s 4.0 & Above Program

—$13,000 in cash prizes were given out at the Fair’s Big Band Review.

—The Fair brought in an estimated $77.1 million economic impact to Fresno County.

The Big Fresno Fair is the fourth-largest fair in California and the largest annual event in the Central Valley.