Kentucky State Fair officials blame the weather for its lowest attendance since 1984.This year, 515,937 people attended the 11-day fair. Last year's fair drew 615,648.In the news release, the fair board said: Marked by 100 degree heat indexes and thunderstorms, the rain-soaked final weekend dampened overall attendance numbers, down from last year’s total of 615,648. Rain fell on eight of the 11 days of the Fair, most notably on Saturday, August 23 that saw the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts free concert cancelled.The competitions drew more entries than last year, though, and so did the World's Championship Horse Show, according to the news release. Related: WFPL's coverage of the Kentucky State FairHere's a look at fair attendance since 2005:
In 1984, the fair drew just more than 499,000, fair board chief of staff Amanda Storment said in an email.