Attendance at this year’s Northwest Montana Fair was the highest in recent years, and horse racing gets the credit for a big boost in crowd numbers.

An estimated 74,970 people attended the five-day fair, according to interim Fair Manager Ted Dykstra Jr. That’s a jump of 56 percent from last year’s attendance of roughly 48,000 people.

“A lot of it is due to horse racing. The stands were packed,” Dykstra said. “We got about 5,000 people each day just for the racing.”

After a four-year hiatus from horse racing, the All Breed Turf Club stepped up to rent the fairgrounds track and sponsored two days of racing. Flathead County gave up horse racing in 2006, citing a loss of $10,000 per day. Results of the weekend betting handle weren’t available yet from race organizers.

Rodeo and concert attendance also increased at last week’s fair.

A total of 2,852 people attended the two concerts, with the Oak Ridge Boys attracting a crowd of 1,454 on Tuesday night and 1,398 people taking in the MercyMe Christian concert on Wednesday. That compares to a total of 2,119 people attending last year’s concerts.

Rodeo action spanned three nights. Thursday’s performance drew 1,831 spectators, Friday drew 3,355 and Saturday’s rodeo was a full house with 4,261 people. Total rodeo attendance of 9,447 compares with about 7,000 last year, Dykstra said.

The carnival was busier, too.

Inland Empire Shows reported $242,172 in gross revenue, up from $238,863 last year. The fair’s take was $73,949, compared to $62,088 last year.

Rain on Sunday put a damper on demolition derby attendance, but 2,039 spectators braved the soggy weather to watch cars smash into one another. Last year’s attendance was 3,793.

Dykstra said food vendors’ sales were up an average of 20 percent. A second food court was added at the north end of the fairgrounds this year, featuring about a half-dozen more eating options for fair-goers. Those vendors reported slim crowds the first couple of days, he said, but once the second free stage in that area came alive with music and entertainment, business picked up. Most of those vendors will be back again next year, he said.

“It went very well,” Dykstra said of the 2010 fair. He stepped in as interim manager earlier this year when the Fair Board declined to renew Jay Scott’s contract.

Fair Office Manager Nuggett Carmalt said she heard comments from fair-goers about the fairgrounds being cleaner this year and got positive feedback about new directional signs.

Dykstra will continue as interim fair manager through September. The Fair Board is poised to hire one of two finalists for the manager job and expects to have a new manager in place by October, he said.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at [email protected]