Alameda Co. Fair Sees Attendance, Deep-Fried Twinkie Sales Spike

ALAMEDA COUNTY, CA — The 2019 Alameda County Fair wrapped up its 107th year Sunday, and attendance at the 18-day-long fair was up, according to officials. Total attendance was 454,276—up 7.3 percent over last year, fair officials announced.

“We are so grateful to all who came out and continue to make the fair a part of their summer tradition,” said Alameda County Fair CEO Jerome Hoban.

According to the officials, there was also a 10 percent increase in the number of exhibitors at this year's event.

For many fairgoers food was the big attraction, and the 2019 sales numbers did not disappoint, according to stats released by fair officials. With the exception of burgers, these not-so-healthy favorites all showed increased sales over the previous year:

—Corn Dogs – 35,320 (up 11.5 percent)
—BBQ Turkey Legs – 12, 872 (up 7.3 percent)
—Burgers – 5,873
—Funnel Cake – 33,684 (up 12.3 percent)
—Cotton Candy – 4,852 (up 14.6 percent)
—Candy Apples – 813 (up 14.8 percent)
—Deep-Fried Twinkies – 784 (up 19.1 percent)

But fairgoers were doing more than eating. Three fundraisers were ongoing during the event, and donations were significant, the fair stats showed: The Feed the Need food drive generated 27,000 pounds of donated food; 6,736 people donated clothing to the Foster Kids Clothing Drive; and 19,813 pounds of pet food were donated for a new pet food drive.

Additionally, 630 people volunteered at the fair, working a combined 7,7oo hours—up 7 percent over last year, according to fair officials.