Throngs of people crowded the midway, and customers stood in lines about 10-people deep at most of the food booths Sunday during the final day of the Trumbull County Fair.
Nearly every parking lot was filled, and a line of traffic several miles long crept along Bazetta Road toward the fairgrounds entrance about 6 p.m. as spectators were trying to get there in time for the demolition derby. The event was moved to later in the evening because some races scheduled earlier in the week were postponed due to rain.
Sunny skies and warm temperatures on the fair's final two days helped improve overall attendance, which was down early in the week because of rain, according to fair board president Richard Roscoe. Final attendance numbers were not available Sunday night.
Some of those in attendance traveled long distances. The Miller family of Aurora came in search of a pet rabbit to raise as a 4-H project. Lisa Liller of Kent made her seventh trip to the fair and was doing a brisk business with her airbrush tattoo booth, while Tony Hernandez traveled from Tampa, Fla., to supplement his income by drawing caricatures of fairgoers.
Hernandez, who works full-time as an elementary school art teacher, said this was his first time at the Trumbull County Fair. He has been drawing caricatures for 11 years and he said business was good on Sunday, but it was a little slow the first few days.
Tim Reed of Orlando, Fla., is the owner of Caricature Cartoons and said this was his second year at the fair, although he has had the business for 15 years. He said business was better last year, but he still was satisfied with his six-day run at this year's event.
"I am friends with another vendor, and he always raved about this fair, so I followed him here last year. The people in this area are great. They're so friendly and fun," Reed said.
Jason and Becky Miller of Aurora brought their children, 7-year-old Branden and 4-year-old twins Brian and Brooke, to pick up a rabbit they saw on Thursday. The brown and white Holland lop already had a name.
"Rocky," all three children said in unison while enjoying a milkshake on a bench near the grandstand.
Becky Miller said she raised goats and rabbits as a youngster in 4-H and also participated in collegiate 4-H at The Ohio State University. She said Branden is getting to the age where he can join the organization, and the family already has three lamancha goats at home - Gracie, Belle and Jade.
Becky and Jason Miller own a landscaping business and Jason also sells real estate.
"We're just starting to get back into the farming thing. We wanted a female rabbit too, but they were all sold," Becky said.
She said the family tries to come to the Trumbull County Fair every year and they also attend the Portage County Fair, where the children will compete in 4-H.
"This is a nice fair. It's bigger than Portage, but not too overwhelming for the kids. Although this is the most crowded I have ever seen it," she said.
