Attendance at the 73rd annual Du Quoin State Fair is on the rise from last year, according to Illinois State Police and fair officials.

(Attendance) at 10 p.m. Aug 26 was up 2,000 from the same tiime last year, said Danny Malkovich, DuQuoin State Fair spokesman. So far 40,179 people have attended the fair since August 26.

Police have parked more cars then any year since the state bought the fair in 1986.

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The Du Quoin State fair was privately owned until the state bought it in 1986, Malkovich said. Funds from the state support the fair.

A leading attraction at the fair is horse harness racing. The fair has long been known for outstanding harness racing since 1923, Malkovich said. The fair will feature many races daily beginning Aug. 29 and ending Sept. 2. The showcase event will be the World Trotting Derby, scheduled for Sept. 2.

Over $2.5 million will be at stake, up nearly $300,000 from last year, Malkovich said.

Malkovich added that anyone interested in riding amusement rides will have the opportunity to buy a Mega Pass for $25 which permits unlimited use of rides located on the fair’s Midway.

Larry Caldwell, a 1992 SIU graduate in Health education from Du Quoin, said he was glad to be back at the fair.