Rainy Weather Puts A Damper On Maryland State Fair

TIMONIUM, Md. (WJZ)—Ask anyone who plans an outdoor event how much they worry about the weather and you may get an ear full. Now try planning an outdoor event that runs over 11 days.

As Mike Schuh reports, on the last day of the fair, attendance and weather is linked.

The thrill of the fair is still here. And so are the paying customers-- but just not as many of them.

"Well, it certainly hasn't been our best year," said Max Mosner, Maryland State Fair executive director.

When WJZ was at the fair on Monday, it was raining. And it's that kind of weather that has done the fair no favors this year.

Even with rain, you'll always get the diehards.

"They just want to ride rides all day long," said Allen MacDonald about his kids, who he took to the fair. "They don't care about the weather. They just want to have fun."

What Gabriel Lee says he likes most about the fair is "Just the rides and the games."

But for casual fair goers, those who look to the sky first, for the second straight year, weather kept up to 100,000 of them away.

"The weather doesn't stop us from coming to the fair," said Cammie Colarossi, of Baltimore. "My husband and I have been coming for 21 years. So rain, shine we come out ever year."

"Well the big factors on the weekend is the weather," Mosner said. "We were on the weekend devastated, and if you remember last year we had Miss Irene paid us a visit."

So maybe not as much fried Kool Aid was sold, but the fair will go on with high hopes of fairer weather next year.

If you're planning on going for the final day of the fair,  there is a Labor Day discount. Fair goers can get unlimited rides for just $22.

The fair closes at 10 p.m.