K.C. ALFRED / Union-Tribune Jon Sprague of Steam Powered Giraffe ... a mime, music and comedy troupe based in San Diego ... performed yesterday at the San Diego County Fair. More than 1.2 million people passed through the gates this year, shy of the record set in 2007, when the fair was open a day longer. However, some game operators along the fair's midway said business was down 50 percent from last year.

With a weakened economy, high gas prices and the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines last month delaying the event's start and shortening its run, fair officials weren't sure what to expect. But through Saturday, attendance was up about 400 people a day over last year. More than 1.2 million people passed through the gates this year, shy of the record set in 2007, when the fair was open a day longer.

“Most of the people I talked to were very pleased, considering the doom and gloom the media were portraying,” said Kina Paegert, spokeswoman for the fair. “It's been great all the way around.”

The joy, however, apparently didn't spread to everyone. Some game operators along the fair's midway said business was down 50 percent from last year, and one vendor who pitches garden tools said he had his worst year in nearly 30 years at the fair.

Kids, of course, are not too concerned with vendors' revenues. Briana Powell, an 11-year-old from Scripps Ranch who was visiting the fair for the third year with her 8-year-old sister, said the fair was “funner” this year.

“We used to be little,” she said yesterday. “We can go on the bigger rides now” because they meet the height requirements. The spinning swings were her favorite.

Her mother, Gina Powell, said the family is staying closer to home this year but not changing its spending habits at the fair.

“We want the kids to have some fun for the summer,” she said. “We're not going to let that change.”

Others, like Jeanette Fuller of Escondido, had gastronomic goals to fulfill.

“If I don't get my little tasty-chip fix,” she said, “I won't get any for another year.”

Fair-goers apparently did not skimp on food. Some sellers said business boomed.

“I'm having a record year,” said Oliver Feldhausen, who sold kettle corn near the fair entrance. “Business is 10 percent better than last year.”

Charlie Boghosian, owner of Chicken Charlie's stand, said he, too, had his best sales year in his six years at the fair. His White Castle cheeseburgers, frog legs and Spam – all deep-fried – were huge sellers.

“We've been on a roll,” said Boghosian, who has been doing fairs around the country for 23 years. “We've had a very sensational run.”

Final figures for all the vendors' revenues will not be available until tomorrow, Paegert said.

But soaring gas and food prices have cut deeply into profits. Boghosian said he paid $3,000 for propane to cook food last year. This year, the propane bill was $7,500. The price of corn and flour jumped 50 percent. And with diesel fuel at more than $5 a gallon, transporting his stand and equipment to the next fair in Orange County will be very expensive.

Game operators on the midway said the weak economy may be making it harder to entice fair visitors to shell out several dollars for a shot at prizes.

Brenden Page, who works game booths at 30 to 40 fairs a year around the country, said his income from the fair this year will be about one-tenth of what it was four years ago.

“Nobody wants to spend the money,” he said from a hoop-shooting booth. “This is dead. It's like we're not even open.”

The price of toys is up 25 percent, which makes it even more difficult for the game operators to turn a profit, said Tom LaPlante, a manager for one of the game concessioners. He ordered five semi-trucks-worth of teddy bears for the fair this year.

“You can still do all right, but you've got to really be on top of it,” said LaPlante, 48, who has been in the business for 31 years. “It's getting harder.”

Robert Krier: (619) 293-2241; rob.krier@uniontrib.com