FRYEBURG – Record attendance on Monday and Friday, near-record days on opening Sunday and Thursday, and a week of spectacular weather gave the Fryeburg Fair its best year ever.

The eight-day agricultural fair posted a paid attendance of 200,000 people for the week, more than 10,000 above the previous record set in 2001.

“This was one of the best years this fair has ever seen, weather-wise as well as number of people,” said Roy Andrews, general superintendent of the event, which just finished its 154th year. “The new Fiber Center and the horse-drawn wagon display were both well received, and we had nothing but positive feedback.”

Fryeburg camping area, which fair officials say is the largest north of Disney World, saw its 3,000 sites filled with more than 5,000 reservations.

Attendance for the week was 29,345 on opening Sunday, nearly equaling the record of 29,995 in 2001; 26,017 on Monday, Woodsmen’s Day (the old record was 25,207 in 2000); 13,042 on Tuesday, Senior Citizens Day (the record of 15,496 was in 2000); 16,443 on Wednesday (the record of 20,125 was in 2001); 19,323 on Thursday (the record of 19,764 was in 2001); the new record of 30,396 on Friday (formerly 29,776, set last year); 40,144 on Saturday (the record of 46,834 was set in 2001); and 24,556 on the final Sunday (the record was 27,652 in 2000).

Daily attendance figures do not include children under 12, seniors on Tuesday, weekly tickets, advance sales, pass holders and life memberships. “We estimate the total number of people on the grounds was over 400,000, including kids under 12,” Andrews said.

Bud and Jeannette Gilmore, owners of Smokey’s Greater Shows, said that with no rain to contend with, they had his best year ever at Fryeburg.

“The thing that pleases us the most is that the quality of every aspect of our fair has vastly improved over the last 20 years,” Andrews said. “In the livestock shows, we have quality in every division. Winning a blue ribbon at Fryeburg means you have won against the best in New England.”

Fryeburg hosts the largest steer and oxen show in the world, with more than 500 head on the grounds. In addition, there was the annual 4-H Market Lamb and Beef Steer judging, the dairy and beef competition and the three-day draft horse show. More than 4,000 animals competed during the eight days.

Harness racing concluded another successful week Sunday by posting a total handle of $923,753 for six days. Greg Bowden driving Tarquin Hall tied the trotting record of 2:02.

The 10-year-old pacing record was broken last year when Robert Sumner drove Franco Sagan to a track record of 1:56.2.