“Considering the weather we’re just so pleased with that,” Clark County Fair Director Dean Blair said.
Blair was optimistic cooler temperatures Wednesday mixed with the number of people coming to the fairground for Kids Day during the afternoon and the Phil Vassar concert in evening will turn those numbers in the positive direction.
“I think our attendance numbers are going to be up for the year,” he said.
Temperatures topped the high 80s Wednesday afternoon and many 4-H participants, FFA members and fairgoers were feeling the heat.
“It’s been almost 100 degrees almost every day,” said 14-year-old Justin Snell as he tended to his goats in the barn Wednesday afternoon.
Some animals barns received upgrades in the off-season of new electrical outlets and more fans, Blair said, but other barns — like the goat barn where Justin’s animals are — have no fans. That barn is lined with fans many 4-H families brought themselves.
Those fans and other tricks are used to keep animals cool in the heat, Snell said.
“Change (the goats’) water every couple of hours to make sure it’s fresh and cold and we hose them off throughout the day,” he said.
No animals have died at the county fair from heat this year, Blair said.
Outside on the midway many fairgoers sat in front of large cooling centers set up by the Clark County Combined Health District. The centers consisted of large fans cooled with water to create an outdoor air conditioner.
Environmental Health Director Larry Shaffer said people also need to keep water close.
“It is very important to keep hydrated — constantly be drinking water when you’re exposed to the high heat,” Shaffer said.
Sarah Brown and her children said they keep water bottles filled with ice at all times when they’re at the fair. And the mother makes sure to keep another important tool for the outdoors.
“We do as much time in the shade and wear as much sunscreen as we can,” she said.
The Clark County Fair runs through Friday night.
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