Following a successful week, Brookhaven Exchange Club officialssaid this year’s fair was the biggest one on record, with peopleturning out in larger crowds than ever each night for rides, gamesand the famous candy apples.

“I think this looks like the best, biggest, most prosperous fairwe’ve had so far,” said Exchange Club President Lynn Boyte. “Andthat’s due to all the many volunteers that assisted us everynight.”

While actual money totals won’t be available until Tuesday, Boytesaid the fair wouldn’t have done as well as it did if people hadn’tworked so tirelessly to make certain the event was a success.

“On any given night we had at least 40 volunteers assisting,” hesaid. “Some were here every night, and without them we couldn’thave made it.”

Fair chairman Harold Gary said on top of the proceeds, which gotoward upkeep of the fairgrounds as well as to help prevent childabuse, the priority of the Exchange Club was, like every year, tomake sure that families had a time of fun to kick off the newschool year.

“Money is important, but just as important to the members is thatwe try to make this a great event for the community and forfamilies to enjoy,” he said. “This is definitely a familyaffair.”

Fair co-chairman Alvin Brown pointed out that the Exchange ClubFair is not only a great atmosphere for local families, but alsoeasier on the pocket book than other fair-type events in theMid-South area.

“There’s no place in the south as cheap as here for you to takeyour family to enjoy a week like this,” he said.

Boyte said the first night and last night of the fair were by farthe most profitable. Bbut that each night surpassed correspondingnights in past years.

He said gate counts were hard to estimate, but that the fairprobably saw more than 10,000 people this year.

“Even Wednesday night was the biggest one I can remember,” saidGary. “Wednesday was the slackest night, but every other night waspretty packed.”

But the organizers were quick to distribute the credit evenly.

“The key was hard work. We definitely burned some midnight oil uphere getting ready for this,” Boyte said. “It takes some finetuning, but once you get everyone in place, it runs itself.”