The Mississippi State Fair attracted the fifth-largest crowd in its history this year.

Officials recorded 636,840 visitors during the 12-day event at the Mississippi Fairgrounds in Jackson.

Last year, there were 642,952 visitors, and in 2005, a few weeks after Hurricane Katrina, the attendance was a record 663,816.

Mike Brinkley, executive director of the Fair Commission, says fairgoers had 12 days of good weather.

“Just about every vendor has said they want to return next year,” Brinkley said. “When you give the fairgoers the entertainment package we had this year and you give the vendors 12 days of good weather, they’re going to want to return.”