After years of big numbers, attendance at this year鈥檚 Ohio State Fair plummeted to its lowest number in 13 years.
During its 12-day run the fair brought in 801,031 people 鈥� the lowest number since 2004 and a 13 percent drop from last year. Spokesperson Alicia Shoults says attendance fluctuates every year, but the breakdown of a Midway ride that left one person dead and several seriously injured was a factor. 鈥淚 think that obviously, opening day鈥檚 tragic accident certainly contributed to that and accompanying that, the fact that the rides were closed for a few days.鈥�
Shoults says the cooler weather and the occasional rain also might have kept visitors away. There were more than 120,000 fewer visitors to the state fair this year than .
