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Lindsey Bauman/AP
Alex Akin, 15-months, takes a bite of corn being held by her grandma Jane Teter as they wait for the start of a pig race at the Kansas State Fair on Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, in Hutchinson, Kan. (AP Photo/The Hutchinson News, Lindsey Bauman)
Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle
Fairgoers makes their way through the Meodowlark Building Friday afternoon during the first day at the Kansas State Fair. The Meodowlark building is a hub of commerce at the fair.
Lindsey Bauman/AP
Cathy Carrier of Kissin' Country 102.1 takes a turn competing at the Celebrity Goat Milking Contest on Friday, Sept. 18, 2009, at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Kan. (AP Photo/The Hutchinson News, Lindsey Bauman)
Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle
Lane Richert of Abbyville sleeps inside the cattle barn at the Kansas State Fair on Friday.
Attendance at this year's Kansas State Fair was up 10 percent over last year, and the fair brought in more money, too, fair officials said today.
A total of 350,856 people attended the fair, which was Sept. 11-20 in Hutchinson. That's an increase of 31,752 over 2008.
It was the best-attended fair since 2000, said the fair's manager, Denny Stoecklein.
Total ticket gate sales were $1,253,792 this year, up from $1,112,065 in 2008.
Stoecklein said that great weather combined with fairgoers taking healthy advantage of discount programs — a "dollar day" and discounted advanced ticket sales — might have helped boost attendance.
The 2010 fair is scheduled for Sept. 10-19.
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