Fair Sets One-Day Attendance Record

TOPSFIELD – The Topsfield Fair finished the 2023 event on a high note, setting a single-day attendance record on its closing day.
Overall attendance records was “way down” for the year, said the Fair’s General Manager James O’Brien, but the pent-up demand to see the giant pumpkins, the hot-dog eating contest, and of course, all the animals was so high, fair goers came out in droves.
“The sunshine and cooler temperatures on Sunday brought out a record number of people to the Fair with the biggest single-day attendance ever,” wrote David Thomson, spokesman for the fair. “Monday was another great weather day and attendance was very strong.”
• Other high points for the 2023 Fair included:
• More than 700 people volunteered to make the annual event a success. They volunteered in 35 different areas and events of the fair.
• Steve Sperry of Johnston, RI, claimed top prize this year for his pumpkin that weighed in at 2,198 pounds. The largest ever pumpkin was 2,480 pounds, set by Jamie Graham of Tyngsboro last year.
• The 114 draft horses that participated in this year’s fair weighed in at 228,000 pounds.
• During the 11 days of the fair, a total of 1,300 baby chicks were hatched.
Brandon Wood of Warren set a new record for hot dog eating at the 5th annual Topsfield Fair Hot Dog Eating Contest, Wood ate 11 quarter-pound hot dogs (the equivalent of 22 standard hot dogs) in buns in the allotted 7-minute time period. Wood beat his own record, which he set last year, when he ate 10 quarter-pound hot dogs.
Lori Burke of Saugus was crowned Mrs. Essex County at the 52nd annual pageant held at the Fair. Burke will serve as an ambassador for the Essex Agricultural Society, the organization that sponsors and runs the Topsfield Fair, at events for the next year.
At the popular Bee Building:
• 20,000 “I found the queen” ribbons were handed out
• More than 12,000 candles were rolled
• 80,000 honey sticks were sold.
Plans for the 2024 Fair are already underway.