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Fair kicks out record figures photo by Drew Fleming Early figures show record crowds for the second straight year at the Jackson County Fair, which means carnival visitors and livestock participants weren�t the only folks who had a kickin� good time. "It�s been the most fun fair any of us can remember," said manager Chris Borovansky. "I think it�s good weather and the quality of the fair management, and you can quote me." Attendance for the six-day event that ended Sunday appears to be about 6 percent higher than 1999�s record-breaking crowds of 153,927, Borovansky said. Through Saturday, some 135,000 people attended the event at the Jackson County Exposition Park in Central Point, up from 129,000 visitors during the same period a year ago. The 1999 figures edged past the previous record attendance, 153,110 in 1992. More people mean more money spent on carnival rides and concessions. Sales of carnival tickets appear to be up about 18 percent over last year, Borovansky said. Concession sales appear to be up by about 10 percent. Final tallies will be available by mid-week. "We�ll exceed $300,000 for sure," he said. Pleasant weather � warm but not scorching, with no sudden thunderstorms � combined with calm coordination to contribute to the success of the event, according to the organizer. "The staff, the board, the exhibitors have all been together for some time now," he said. "We know the drill." Among the successes was the Junior Livestock Auction, which garnered $940,000 in sales. "We just missed $1 million," Borovansky said. "There is no way a fair our size is supposed to do that. It just shows how the community supports the kids." The end of the annual fair is a relief, Borovansky acknowledged, but it�s also a let-down. "It�s kind of sad," he said Sunday afternoon. "Tomorrow all we�ve got is dust and cardboard." Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA