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Erie County Fair is half over, organizers expect enough fairgoers to match 2019 attendance

Weather caused lower attendance some days, but this past weekend was a much different story.

HAMBURG, N.Y. — There are just four days left to be entertained over at the Erie County Fair. 

"Attendance wise, I actually think we're doing well. We had some days that are low and some days that are much higher," said fair manager Jessica Underberg.

She blames the heat for the slow start last week and attendance was lower Wednesday because of the rain. 

This past weekend however, was a much different story.

"Sunday was about the most people I've seen on our property on any one day ever. Just looking at the parking lots and the number of people, the amount of lines, things like that. But the weather was beautiful," Underberg said. 

It's exactly the business fair vendors like Cameron Murray need.

"It was a great feeling. After not working last year, we'll take anything we can get right now," Murray said. 

The North Carolina native brings his 'Chester's Gators and Taters' to eight fairs on the east coast every summer. 

His next stop will be Syracuse for the New York State Fair which begins Friday. It's the first time it overlaps with the Erie County Fair.

Since both require their vendors to be there the whole time, vendors like Cameron needed to get a second booth on top of extra supplies and staffing more employees this year.   

"I actually needed to invest in a whole new setup," Murray said. 

With the delta variant spreading across the country, he doesn't know what the rest of the summer will hold. However, seeing the attendance at the Erie County Fair gives him some hope. 

"It's the uncertainties that we're dealing with," Murray said. "We're definitely hitting records. We're staying busy. People are excited to be out."

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