2012 Wilson County Fair drawing big crowds

By | August 23, 2012

Photo by Pam Sherborne Monday, Aug. 20, was a beautiful evening at the Wilson County Fair, Lebanon. Fair and carnival officials were looking forward to big crowds going into the final week. The fair runs Aug. 17-25. Amusements of America is providing the midway. In this photo are Zierer’s Waveswinger and Chance’s Century Wheel.

LEBANON, Tenn. – Attendance at the Wilson County Fair, being held Aug. 17-25, has been great so far and officials, both carnival and fair, have been very happy about it.

After a somewhat slow opening Friday, Aug. 17, due to weather reports of storms moving into the area, Saturday broke an all-time record for a single day.

Over 116,000 folks came out that day and Phil and Dominic Vivona, owners, Amusements of America, the company that holds the midway contract, both agreed the midway was wall to wall.

“We didn’t go get to sleep until four in the morning,” said Helena Vivona, Dominic Vivona’s wife. “We were up counting tickets, money. Then, we were back up at 7:30, still counting.”

Ruby Macaroni, Family Attractions Amusement Co., has 17 rides and three foods booked on with Amusements of America for the event. “Friday was a little scary,” she said. “But, I guess people were looking at the reports and decided just not to come.”

There was some sporadic rain that evening. “But, Saturday, it was packed,” she said. Opening day, Friday, Aug. 17, drew 29,018. Sunday, Aug. 19, also went well with 60,631 on the midway. The fair reported on Facebook that by the end of Sunday evening, the fair was already 5,879 ahead of last year’s opening weekend. Monday, Aug. 20, drew just under 25,000 and Tuesday’s attendance was 31,631.

Fair officials began Wednesday making additional improvements to the parking lots in anticipation of crowds for the final weekend of the fair. And additional entrance was constructed to improve traffic flow. Satellite parking at the old Lebanon High School has been set up with free shuttle service to the fair.