When officials gathered to investigate if the Lincoln CountyCarnival, which was held at the beginning of this month, was asuccess, they discovered that numbers do not lie.

When comparing the amount of cars parked and the amount ofrevenue gained from this year’s carnival to the Lincoln CivicCenter’s first festival last year, Lincoln Civic Center FacilitiesManager Quinn Jordan found the carnival is slowly but surelygrowing in popularity.

“Overall, I can sum up the 2011 carnival in one word: success,”said Jordan. “The community turned out in numbers that (showed)they’re in support of this event in Southwest Mississippi.”

The four-day carnival, which began May 4, saw about 440 morecars parked in the grassy lot leading to the fair. That resulted inabout an 11 percent attendance increase from last year, accordingto Jordan.

The facilities manager also said the entire carnival saw a 3percent increase in revenue from last year. Jordan said more than10,000 people were estimated to have visited the carnival.

“We met our expectations on growth,” said Jordan.

For the second year in a row, the most eventful day for thecarnival proved to be Saturday.

Jordan said that on Saturday last year, the ride revenueaveraged $35.51 based on the number of parked cars.

Saturday this year, Jordan said, ride revenue averaged $35.23per carload. However, Saturday this year saw an additional 79parked cars resulting in $2,700 more spent on Saturday this yearcompared to last year.

“We made the event more economical; therefore, it took morepeople to turn out the additional revenue we did,” said Jordan.

While profit margins were not sky-high compared to last year’scarnival, event organizers kept fair-goers smiling rather thanreaching for their checkbook.

“During these tough economic times it is our job to bring in notonly quality, but economical events,” said Jordan.

While this year’s carnival offered a free concert on the firstnight and a political meet and greet on the second, Jordan thinksit was the armbands that had county and area residents fixated onattending the carnival. On several nights of the fair, wristbandswere sold that allowed visitors to experience as many chills andthrills on the 18 rides set up at the carnival.

“More people found it more economical to turn out, I think,”said Jordan.

New to the carnival this year was a Food Alley, where severallocal vendors sold various sorts of dinner plates and items forvisitors to snack on. Jordan said he hopes to increase awareness ofthe local foods during next year’s carnival.

“The carnival food was still high; however, the local Food Allytook a local alternative that people didn’t take advantage of,” hesaid.

As the lights went out on the giant wheel and the 18-wheelershauled away the rides, Jordan has already started to think aboutthe 2012 Lincoln County Carnival.

Jordan said he is beginning to contemplate how to incorporatemore value activities, such as a fireworks show or concerts, intonext year’s event. He also said a fair board will be created tomake sure the carnival will offer something for everyone in LincolnCounty.

“We just want to make sure we’re reaching as many people aspossible,” said Jordan. “I think that’s the biggest thing we needto work on, and not only in Lincoln County, but SouthwestMississippi.”