56 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



courage fair visitors from making a fifty or hundred mile auto- 

 mobile trip, and, on the other hand, not enough rain fell on the 

 fair grounds to interfere with the carrying out of the complete 

 program until the last day of the fair, when there was a heavy 

 downpour and the management found it necessary to call off 

 the night show and release exhibits and throw the gates open at 

 four o'clock instead of at ten as had been planned. 



Tuesday was the largest day of the fair, showing a total at- 

 tendance of 67,170. The grand stand crowds were large every 

 day of the fair. In most instances, the evening attendance was 

 in excess of the afternoon. The largest evening crowd for the 

 grand stand was 19,119 on Monday. The largest afternoon 

 crowd was 15,659 on the opening Friday. 



It is the general observation that the visitors during the first 

 two or three days of the fair come largely from the territory im- 

 mediately around Des Moines, while those coming later in the 

 week are from the more distant parts of the state. 



The attractions which appeared daily in front of the grand 

 stand were among the biggest drawing cards for the fair. The 

 same slight decrease in attendance which was marked in the 

 general admissions was also noted in the grand stand crowds. 

 There were 84,090 day admissions in 1920 as compared with 

 91,017 in 1919, and 77,542 night attendance for 1920 as com- 

 pared with 108,634 in 1919, the Friday night performance being 

 called off on account of rain. 



The need of additional seating capacity in the grand stand to 

 accommodate the crowds was emphasized practically every day 

 of the fair. The seating capacity of the grand stand and bleachers 

 is approximately 12,000. There was hardly a day or evening 

 performance at which the crowd was not in excess of this. 



The tremendous drawing power of the live stock and horse 

 show given during the evening in the stock pavilion was clearly 

 demonstrated during the 1920 state fair. These shows attracted 

 a total attendance of 11,135 in the five nights. Standing room 

 was at a premium practically every evening during the prog- 

 ress of these events. 



One of the outstanding features which served possibly more 

 than anything else to draw the finest of the country's live stock 

 and agricultural products to the Iowa State Fair was the great- 

 ly increased list of premiums offered and paid. A total of $112,- 

 620.15 was paid in premiums in all departments of the fair this 



