Here's how many people attended the PNE this year

Attendees of the PNE enjoy one of the fair's various rides. (Source: PNE)

Despite several days of rain in the middle of the fair, the PNE says more people attended Hastings Park this year than last.

In total, 637,920 people visited the fair between Aug. 17 and Sept. 2, according to the PNE. That’s a little over 10,000 more than last year’s attendance of 626,531, which was the first PNE since 2019 without capacity limits.

The fair was still short of reaching its latest pre-pandemic attendance tally of more than 730,000 in 2019.

“Despite five days of rain, including one record-setting day on our middle Saturday, the combination of new attractions, the Summer Night Concerts lineup and traditional favourites really resonated with our guests this year,” said PNE president and CEO Shelley Frost in a news release Tuesday.

Due to ongoing construction on the new outdoor amphitheatre, recently dubbed the Freedom Mobile Arch, nighttime concerts were moved inside to the Pacific Coliseum. Frost said the change was ultimately “very well received.”

During the fair, the PNE says 34,512 tried out the new ThunderVolt rollercoaster that debuted this year.

Other stats included 15,233 spiralled potato sticks sold, 150,000 moles whacked, 315,000 rings tossed, 260 chicks born, and 104,000 feet run by the pigs in races.

The PNE Prize Home draw will take place on Sept. 9, for a $2.35-million house in Langley.