I need a fact checker

We listen to radio news a lot while we drive, and while we were in Iowa the news was All Iowa State Fair All the Time.  (Well, that and the-economy-is-going-to-hell-in-a-hand basket-so-we-hope-you-have-not-just-retired).   I was sure I heard that attendance is about 100,000 annually.

When I got to Ohio, the Lorain County Fair -- held in my hometown of Wellington -- was in full swing.  The fair guide said 131,000 people attended last year.  Now I’m thinking my Iowa State Fair stat must have been off. So I checked the Iowa State Fair web site, and one million people attend each year. So much for my hearing. Maybe I heard 100,000 people ate the new Iowa State Fair taste sensation, fried butter on a stick.  Or that the average fair goer consumes 100,000 calories, which is what I must have had today at the Lorain County Fair.

First, Jim and I shared sweet potato fries. Then I had some of Jim’s elephant ear, which is fried bread dough sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.  Then I had half of a funnel cake, a sweet dough poured through a funnel into hot oil. Then I brought home a true Lorain County Fair specialty:  donuts from the Wellington High School band booth.  In my defense, Jim and I walked six miles today (not including our fairgrounds stroll) but I doubt that counteracted the calories.  

Photo of the Lorain County Fair taken while we were walking at the Wellington Reservoir.