Heat wave shrivels crowds for opening day of Thurston County Fair![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=e0440e1f-ab65-4075-8c2b-160e0eba18f0)
Thurston County Fair officials say stifling temperatures have taken their toll on attendance this year. Fair manager Rick Storvick said morning attendance is down about 34 percent, to 3,000, compared with last year. The high temperature in 2008 for opening day was 84; fair organizers recorded a high of 104 on Tuesday. “I fully anticipate numbers will be down dramatically this year,” Storvick said. Main traffic walkways were almost empty Wednesday. The fair gates have an earlier opening of 8 a.m. and later closing of 11 p.m. to allow people to visit in the cooler parts of the day. Storvick said the horse shows usually run throughout the day, but this year they are closed from 1 to 4 p.m. to get children and horses out of the sun. He added that the sheep shows, originally scheduled for 10 a.m., now will start at 8:30 a.m. Six dogs were sent home Wednesday because of overheating, Storvick said. Allyson Ruppenthal, a vendor from Thurston County Water and Waste Management, said Wednesday her stand had only one customer in 11/2 hours. She said she normally has at least 30 people every hour. “With all the health warnings to stay inside and stay cool, this is not the optimal place for people,” she said. The only air-conditioned attraction at the fair, the garden center, has received much attention this year. Storvick said the coolest place to be without air conditioning is the Heritage Hall basement, where people can view model trains. “I haven’t stopped sweating all day, but on breaks I hang out at vendor booths to keep cool,” said Seth McCracken, a ride foreman and vendor.
