Storms rolled through Coalville Friday night minutes before the PRCA Rodeo competition was set to take place. It forced fair goers to seek shelter under the grandstand or umbrellas and in competition tents.
Travis English, Summit County Fair coordinator, said the storm hit the fairgrounds at approximately 7:59 p.m. Friday evening. The downpour delayed the rodeo and shut down the carnival rides for 45 minutes, English said.
“It was a very large storm and it was kind of threatening,” English said. ” the grace of God everyone was safe and sound and just a little soggy.”
Mike Seaman, meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the storm produced wind gusts up to 55 miles per hour in the Coalville and Morgan areas, with several reports of large trees down in Henefer.
It took the storm system between 45 minutes and an hour to move through the area, leaving less than half an inch of rain behind, Seaman said.
Once the storm had passed, the food vendors and carnival rides reopened. It went “back to the fair as usual,” English said. No damage or injuries were reported.
“Things started drying out and we were pretty excited that there was still a great turnout for the rodeo,” he said, adding Saturday’s rodeo featured a sellout crowd. “We haven’t done that in many years.”
Fair organizers estimated that approximately 20,000 attended the fair throughout the week, with visitors coming in from throughout the county and surrounding areas.
“We had people from Salt Lake, visitors who are staying in Park City, Park City and Kamas Valley residents, locals from here. It was definitely a good mix of people,” English said.
Carnival rides were featured as part of the fair this year after being absent for more than 10 years. The rides were popular and widely used during the four days they were open to the public.
“It filled a void, that there has been in the past, with good energy and I think people stayed longer because of it,” English said.
The fair attracted more people this year who stayed longer and the entertainment was better, English said.
“It was great,” he said. “The volunteers and their families that come out to help the fair we couldn’t do it without them. They are a huge part of why the event is so successful and we want to thank them because we could not do it without them.”