Jefferson Fair has 'great crowds' all week

The 192nd Jefferson County Fair wrapped up Sunday with smiles all around.

"We've had great crowds. It's been a very stress-free week," said Robert D. Simpson, fair president for nine years.

Mr. Simpson attributed the fair's success to a combination of rain-free skies and the economy forcing people to stay closer to home.

"I think it helped," he said about the recession. "We're estimating conservatively a 5 percent to 10 percent increase in attendance."

Among the main draws during fair week were the traveling Two by Two Zoo's lemurs, kangaroos, pythons and black leopards.

"The most popular non-carnival attraction was the Two by Two Zoo. It was a phenomenal thing," Mr. Simpson said. "We've already booked them for next year."

He also hopes to add to next year's entertainment lineup.

"We've talked about getting some street performers. We're going to do something different," he said.

The Sky Flier, a new, vertigo-inducing ride in the Reithoffer Shows Inc. midway, drew the most fair visitors and even lured in Mr. Simpson a few times. Sales from the Mega Pass, a reduced-price ticket worth a full day of rides, also were sky-high.

"The Mega Pass was a huge success," Mr. Simpson said. "It's been improving a little bit every year."

Overall, he said, "it's just gone very well. We had a great selection of rides, food vendors and exhibitors. I cannot say enough about the team of people we have working here."

Among the workers at the fair was Frank L. Byndul, son of Darcel L. McCormack of Lowville. He was working at his mother's stand, Darcy's Cafe of Natural Bridge, for the second year in a row, but said he had plenty of free time to enjoy the fair this week.

"They should have more, bigger rides," the 12-year-old said. "But I like to come here and meet my friends and try the new foods."

Erik J. Shelmidine, 14, son of Douglas W. and Susan A. Shelmidine of Belleville, also enjoyed the tasty treats at the fair.

"I liked the food," he said. "The zoo was pretty interesting, I thought."

Erik was showing cows at the fair for the second year in a row and said there weren't many differences between last year and this year.

"It's about the same — a little more work because I've got three more cows, but it was still fun," he said.

Erik competed in 4-H showmanship contests and won first place in herdsmanship for keeping his cows' area neat and clean.

Cassandra E. Gamble, daughter of Patty A. Forbes and an alternate dairy princess at the Jefferson County Fair, had never been to the Watertown fair before but compared it to the New York State Fair.

"I've gotten more sleep here than at the state fair," the 17-year-old resident of Indian River said.

"The crowds weren't as big, so you get to spend more one-on-one time with them."

According to Cassandra, even the cows were satisfied with fair week.

"It was nice and cool and there wasn't any rain, so they liked it," she said.