Mississippi State Fair ends run with strong weekend attendance bolstered by safety measures

The Mississippi State Truthful is understood for being one of many greatest sights within the metropolitan space. Whereas attendance totals aren’t fully tallied, truthful officers mentioned the closing weekend might have been one among their greatest on document.

They attribute a profitable run partly to added safety making household fairgoers comfy.

Andy Gipson, Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, mentioned the brand new safety checkpoints drove the success of the truthful. He additionally introduced the dates for subsequent yr’s truthful are set for Oct. 5 via Oct. 15.

“I believe it is a group effort between our director Michael Lasseter and our chief of safety Jimmy Herzog and the remainder of the group that deliberate the completely different sorts of occasions on the truthful,” Gipson mentioned. “I went to the truthful nearly on daily basis and the No. 1 remark I obtained was how protected the atmosphere on the truthful was this yr.”

Gipson mentioned in a information convention previous to the beginning of the state truthful that new security measures would come with the State Fireplace Marshall, Jackson Police Division, Hind’s County Sheriff’s Workplace, Workplace of Capitol Police, Mississippi State Freeway Patrol, Mississippi Agriculture and Livestock Theft Bureau, Mississippi Division of Wildlife and Fisheries and Mississippi Workplace of Homeland Safety to execute the truthful’s security plans.

Mississippi State Truthful runs Oct. 6-16. What it’s worthwhile to learn about value, parking, household enjoyable.

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The added safety got here after a spring capturing on the Mudbug Competition on the fairgrounds. There have been different shootings on the fairgrounds in recent times as properly. However this yr’s State Truthful had no main safety incidents.

As well as, a number of acts proved well-liked attracts. Frontier Village and Rattlesnake Dave had been two of the principle sights at this yr’s truthful, in accordance with officers.

“What we have tried to do the final two years is carry new and thrilling issues for households,” Gipson mentioned. “This yr, the rattlesnake present displayed a fantastic crowd together with Frontier Village.”

Though the occasions and reveals put up good numbers, truthful favourite meals such because the well-known turkey leg, fried Oreos, chick on a stick, blooming onion, Kroger berry farm biscuits, and fried corn had folks ready in traces throughout lunchtime.

“Kroger Berry Farms and Blackburn syrup gave away 100,000 biscuits this yr on the biscuit sales space,” Gipson mentioned. “If I needed to choose a favourite meals merchandise on the truthful this yr, I might say a Kroger Berry Farm biscuits and Loves pizza.”

DAC officers acknowledged that the most important crowds on the truthful typically occur on the final weekend of the truthful and subsequent yr’s truthful might function a nationwide musical act.

Many fairgoers mentioned the principle cause for coming to the truthful this yr was to see how a lot meals they may purchase throughout their lunch break earlier than returning again to work.

Hattiesburg’s Sheryl Anderson, 34, mentioned she involves the truthful yearly on the final two days simply to attempt new meals, drinks, and the surroundings.

“Since childhood, going to the truthful has been greater than Christmas to me,” Anderson mentioned. “My father would carry me and my siblings yearly as our annual household custom since he labored extra in the course of the holidays.

“Though it wasn’t the identical with out my father, I actually loved myself this yr and I will probably be again subsequent yr.”

Jackson’s Monique Harvey, 28, mentioned yearly the meals choices proceed to develop and that’s what retains her coming again.

“The funnel truffles, loaded fries, gator chunk basket, crawfish, and fried Oreos are issues of magnificence,” Harvey mentioned. “I like making an attempt new meals, and the brand new gadgets did not disappoint.”

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