JUAREZ, Mexico (Border Report) – Feria Juarez 2023 ended its yearly run at its traditional location with disappointing attendance.

The fair drew 220,000 visitors to its rides, food stands and concerts during a four-week run at Plaza de la Mexicanidad (the Big Red X), city officials said. Almost half the visitors, some 95,000, came during opening weekend. That’s almost a 50% drop from last year when more than 400,000 people from Juarez and the El Paso-Southern New Mexico area visited.

Juarez Mayor Cruz Perez Cuellar attributed the drop to the fair’s new two-location format. He hopes to make up ground when the fair re-starts at the new Avenida de las Torres location June 23 through July 9.

“There were fewer visitors than last year (but) we believe it was precisely because the fair was going to be held in two locations,” the mayor said at his weekly news conference. “We have 500,000 people (in South Juarez) who know the fair will be coming. […] We’ll see how we do in Las Torres.”

Some of the artists coming to the fair in the next three weekends include well-known performers like Conjunto Primavera, Chicos de Barrio and Cartel de Santa.

Now that the La Feria Juarez 2023 events have concluded at the big Red X, the fair moves to an alternate location in South Juarez from June 23 to July 9, (Karla Draksler/KTSM)

A Border Report/KTSM crew that visited the fair earlier this month heard complaints about an unexpected hike in the prices of food and the rides. Fair officials acknowledged a slight increase and, in the case of American visitors, their dollars having lost purchasing power. The dollar-peso exchange rate is 16.5 to 1, compared to 21 to 1 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. visitors also had trouble driving to the fair because the bridge that usually takes traffic coming out of the Bridge of the Americas port of entry was demolished. Southbound traffic has been re-routed westbound through the Juarez Chamizal Park. Northbound traffic must approach from Perez Serna Avenue from the east.

Perez Cuellar said the detours will be gone in a few weeks.

“Our commitment is to finish (the new bridge) by the end of August. We are certain it will be finished on time to avoid the mess you see,” the mayor said. “It was necessary to have a new, secure bridge. And it will look pretty. It will project a better image for the city. Those coming from (Bridge of the Americas) will get a better welcome and those leaving for El Paso will see that as well.”

The Carlos Villarreal Bridge that was torn down was 70 years old and had visible cracks on its concrete pillars. Perez Cuellar said the reconstruction gave Juarez a chance to spend additional money on repaving roads and redoing medians on streets like Avenida Lincoln that tourists see as they enter Juarez.