U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for August 18

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18: STATE FAIR TIME

Profile America — Wednesday, August 18th.  This is the time for a very American celebration in many parts of the country — the annual state fair.  Fairs in Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Montana, West Virginia and Wyoming are under way now.  A total of 17 states will stage their fairs this month.  Some will draw upwards of a million people to experience the special blend of eating, entertainment and entrepreneurship that make up a state fair. These events go back to the early 19th century and were started to celebrate the annual harvest and each state's contribution to the nation's agricultural progress.  In 1920, there were about 6.5 million farms in the U.S.  Today, there are just over 2 million — feeding a population approaching three times that of 1920.  Profile America is in its 14th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2010

Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970, p. 465

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 3, 801

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1060

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau