Boone County Fair attendance increases; demolition derby Sunday

COLUMBIA — Sunday is your last chance to see Boone County Fair entertainment this year. The barbecue was eaten, the animals displayed and the weather remained fair for most of the week, which helped attendance exceed what even the fair board expected for this year.

With the board only expecting 100,000 guests, the fact that about 120,000 people passed through the gates at the fairgrounds made staff at the fair more than thrilled, fair manager George Harris said.

He said that with Sunday still to go, that number is expected to rise. Harris explained that a larger carnival, new management and good weather contributed to the increase in attendance.

On the last day of the fair, you still can catch some of the entertainment. From 1 to 3 p.m., youth arts and hams will be displayed. At 2 p.m., a talent show will feature a number of bands, and the annual demolition derby closes out the fair at 7 p.m.