The Raptor ride spins it's passengers round and round, Saturday at the fair.
From a Grammy-nominated country star performing in concert to a first ever bull riding competition, the 104th annual Southwest Washington Fair was a hit, Fairgrounds and Events Manager Gale Sobolesky said.
That success included a record-setting day on Saturday.
“I don’t have all the numbers yet but Saturday was a great day with the Hunter Hayes concert,” Sobolesky said. “Food vendors and the carnival had record days on Saturday.”
Sobolesky said the carnival revenue was up $30,000 on Saturday, nearly double the revenue from Saturday at the fair last year.
About 4,000 people attended the Hunter Hayes concert at the grandstands Saturday night.
Hayes, 21, who won best New Artist of the Year at the 2012 Country Music, was nominated this year for three Grammy awards and one Academy of Country Music award.
"Hunter Hayes performed a phenomenal concert," Sobolesky said. "It was fun to see all the youth and parents lining up for that show. We had lines all the way out to those gates."
The fairgrounds are now preparing for the Chehalis Garlic Fest, taking place on the north end of the fairgrounds, this weekend.
Crews are busy cleaning the fair buildings, picking up garbage and clearing out the animal exhibits to prepare for the weekend events.
On Thursday night during the fair, the South Sound Bull Bash was held at the grandstands.
The bull riding event, organized by the newly formed Southwest Washington Rodeo Association, featured about 30 professional bull riders from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and California.
"For the first year, we couldn't have it go any better," Zach Eatherton, the Southwest Washington Rodeo Association president, said. "We plan on having more events through the year and next year we will definitely have it."
Eatherton said none of the bull riders had any complaints and nobody got too hurt during the rodeo. About 1,500 people came out to see the bull riding.
“We look forward to a great partnership,” Sobolesky said. “We never had it at the fair as far back as we know. People were ready for it.”
The rodeo association is already scheduling a barrel racing event later this year and possibly another bull riding competition over Labor Day. The location for the upcoming rodeo events is still being determined, Eatherton said.
"We are here to stay," Eatherton said.
