2008 TOP 50 NORTH AMERICAN FAIRS LIST RELEASED

CHICAGO,IL, (MMD Newswire) December, 2008 -- The Top 50 North American Fairs drew 40,670,657 guests in 2008, only a small decrease of 2% from 2007. The list was led once again by the State Fair of Texas with an estimated 2,024,000 visitors.

The Top 50, ranked by attendance are as follows:

(*Atten LY is Attendance Last Year - - *Dates shown are for 2008!)

1.Texas State Fair. Dallas, TX. Sep 26-Oct 19. Atten LY 2,024,000

2. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Houston, TX. Mar 3-22. Atten LY 1,802,158

3. Minnesota State Fair. St. Paul, MN. Aug 21-Sep 1. Atten LY 1,693,533

4. Canadian National Exhibition. Toronto, ON. Sep 5-28. Atten LY 1,310,000

5. Los Angeles County Fair. Pomona, CA. Sep 5-28. Atten LY 1,303,655

6. San Antonio Livestock Show. San Antonio, TX. Atten LY 1,300,513

7. Calgary Stampede. Calgary, AB. Atten LY 1,236,351

8. San Diego County Fair. Del Mar, CA. Jun 14 -Jul 6. Atten LY 1,235,698

9. Western Washington Fair. Puyallup, WA. Sep 5, 21. Atten LY 1,163,979

10. Iowa State Fair. Des Moines, IA. Aug 7-17. Atten LY 1,109,150

11. Arizona State Fair. Phoenix, AZ. Oct 10-Nov 2. Atten LY 1,095,426

12. Orange County Fair. Costa Mesa, CA. Jul 11-Aug 3. Atten LY 1,062,673

13. Eastern States Exhibit ion. Springfield, MA. Sep12-28. Atten LY 1,050,624

14. Oklahoma State Fair. Oklahoma City, OK. Sep 11-21. Atten LY1,000,044

15. New York State Fair. Syracuse, NY. Aug 21-Sep 1. Atten LY 927,871

16. Tulsa State Fair. Tulsa, OK. Sep 25-Oct 5. Atten LY 915,000

17. Erie County Fair. Hamburg, NY. Aug 6-17. Atten LY 908,241.

18. SW Exposition and Livestock Show. Ft Worth, TX. Jan 11-Feb 3. Atten LY 899,000

19. Wisconsin State Fair. West Allis, WI. Jul 31-Aug 10. Atten Ly 872,458

20. Indiana State Fair. Indianapolis, IN. Aug 6-17. Atten LY 859,619

21. Illinois State Fair. Springfield, IL. Aug 8-17. Atten LY 840,173

22. Ohio State Fair. Columbus, OH. Jul 30-Aug 10. Atten Ly 809,321

23 California State Fair . Sacramento, CA. Aug 15-Sep 1. Atten LY 790,000

24. North Carolina State Fair. Raleigh, NC. Oct 16-26. Atten LY 765,067

25. Evergreen State Fair. Monroe, WA. Aug 21-Sep 1. Atten LY 761,000

26. Pacific National Exhibition. Vancouver, BC. Aug 16-Sep 1. Atten LY 753,298

27. Capital Exhibition. Edmonton, AB. Jul 17-26. Atten LY 743,000

28. National Western Stock Show. Denver, CO. Jan 12-27. Atten LY 673,449

29. Mississippi State Fair. Jackson, MS. Oct 1-12. Atten Ly 608,6810

30. New Mexico State Fair. Albuquerque, NM. Sep 5-21. Atten LY 602,504

31. Miami-Dade County Fair and Expo. Miami, FL. Mar 27-Apr 13. Atten LY 600,000

32. South Florida Fair. West Palm Beach, FL. Jan 18-Feb 3. Atten LY 598,281

33. Kentucky State Fair. Louisville, KY. Aug 14-24. At ten LY 586,106

34. Allentown Fair. Allentown, PA. Aug 26-Sep 1. Atten LY 570,000

35. Florida Strawberry Festival. Plant City, FL. Feb 28-Mar 9. Atten LY 550,000

36. Big Fresno Fair. Fresno, CA. Oct 1-13. Atten LY 543, 717

37. York Fair. York, PA. Sep 5-14. Atten LY 508,887

38. Florida State Fair. Tampa, FL. Feb 7-18. Atten LY 490,513

39. Colorado State Fair. Pueblo, CO. Aug 22-Sep 1. At ten LY 486,659

40. Arkansas State Fair. Lit tle Rock, AR. Oct 10-19. Atten LY 467,007

41. Wilson County Fair. Lebanon, TN. Aug 15-23. atten LY 466,119

42. Topsfield Fair. Topsfield, MA. Oct 3-13. Atten Ly 466,000

43. State Fair of Louisiana. Shreveport, LA. Oct 23-Nov 9. Atten LY 430,093

44. South Carolina St ate Fair. Columbia, SC. Oct 8-19. Atten Ly 425,854

45. Bloomsburg Fair. Bloomsburg, PA. Oct 20-27. Atten LY 412,639

46. Georgia National Fair. Perry, GA. Oct 2-12. At ten LY 407,136

47. Dutchess County Fair. Rhinebeck, NY. Aug 19-24. Atten LY 400,560

48. Greeley Independence Stampede. Greeley, CO Jun 26-Jul 6. Atten Ly 390,000

49. Maryland State Fair. Timonium, MD. Aug 22-Sep 1. Atten LY 388,090

50. Kern County Fair. Bakersfield, CA. Sep 17-28. Atten Ly 384-289