Fair hangs on to fans

RALEIGH -- On a sunny Monday afternoon with temperatures in the low 60s, parked cars stretched down both sides of Hillsborough Street near the N.C. State Fairgrounds. There were lines to buy miniature doughnuts and fried cheese, to ride in a tiny helicopter and to squeeze a cow's udders.

The State Fair, it seems, is the place to be. Through Sunday, attendance stood at 274,480, a bump of more than 9 percent over last year.

This year's numbers, however, will be tough to compare against attendance in previous years. In an effort to better count the people on the fairgrounds, a bar-code system has been implemented to also count livestock exhibitors, media members and others who receive complimentary admission. Some of these are people who in the past would have gone uncounted at the gates, State Fair spokesman Brian Long said.

Still, fair officials are pleased.

"When you consider the cool, damp start to the fair, we're very pleased with the first four days," Long said.

The biggest crowd hit the fair on Saturday, when 105,885 were counted. With sunny days expected during the next couple of days, Long is hoping for big crowds.

The second Saturday is traditionally the fair's busiest, and in 2007 was responsible for the single-day attendance record of 145,955.

Doris Drury of Ormond Beach, Fla., has been selling miniature doughnuts from the same spot at the fair for 29 years.

Except for Sunday night, when it was particularly chilly, business this year has been good. She keeps meeting customers who said a trip to the fair wouldn't be the same without her doughnuts.

"I have groupies," she said with a smile.

At the booth operated by the N.C. State Animal Science Club, kids waited in line to take turns milking cows. For $2, they received a quick lesson in the art of hand-to-udder combat, as well as a carton of milk.

Margaret Bell, who has worked the booth for four years, said there was some concern among club members that the down economy might affect milk-booth profits. But so far, so good: There is almost always a line, and the club has sold more $10 T-shirts than it expected.

"If it's pretty outside and it's not too cold," Bell said, "people are here."

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