By BRAD GASKINS / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – More people attended this year’s Shelby County Fair than in 2010, fair organizers said Sept. 28.

A total of 12,721 people attended the 62^nd annual fair Sept. 19-24, according to the Kiwanis Clubs of Columbiana and Chelsea, which organized the event.

The 2010 fair drew a crowd of 12,628, or 93 fewer people than this year, according to Johnny Jones of the fair committee.

The Kiwanis Club began organizing the fair in 1948 and in 62 years has contributed more than $1 million to area schools, mostly in the South Shelby area, Jones said.

In 2010, the fair donated more than $22,000 to schools, Jones said. He said money from this year’s fair should equal or exceed last year.

Jones said the quality of booths this year was “substantially” better than in 2010.

“We had some really good booths and some really good participation,” he said. “It (the fair) really means a lot to the community. I wouldn’t be doing this if it didn’t.”

Other fair committee members include Sue Bryars, Sid Wheeler, Michael Letlow and Renee Miller, all of Columbiana, and Chelsea members Dale Neuendorf and Mike Denton.