Here are the attendance numbers according to Dark Shadows Festival Memory Book 1983-1993 or ShadowGram (if available)(unfortunately, there are a lot of gaps):
Newark, NJ - September 30-October 2, 1983 - about 100
Newark, NJ - November 9-11, 1984 - 650
Newark, NJ - October 4-6, 1985 - (attendance not referenced.)
Dallas, TX - July 25-27, 1986 - (attendance not referenced.)
Newark, Nj - October 24-26, 1986 - 1100
Newark, NJ - August 28-30, 1987 - (attendance not referenced.)
Los Angeles, CA - October 30-November 1, 1987 - (attendance not referenced.)
New York, NY - August 19-21, 1988 - 1600 (largest to that point.)
Los Angeles, CA - March 3-4, 1989 - 800+
New York, NY - September 2-3, 1989 - 1000+ (I was one - it was my first
)
New York, NY - July 6-8, 1990 - 1200+
Los Angeles, CA - June 28-30, 1991 - 1500 (approx. - the '91 Series had a big impact that year.)
New York, NY - November 30-December 1, 1991 - 800 (approx.)
Los Angeles, CA - October 31-November 1, 1992 - 600+
New York, NY - August 20-22, 1993 - 1700+ (largest to that point - first where the Sci-Fi Channel really had an impact.)
Los Angeles, CA - July 29-31, 1994 - 1000 (approx.)
New York, NY - August 18-20, 1995 - 2000 (approx. - largest to that point.)
Los Angeles - June 28-30, 1996 - 1500 (approx.)
New York, NY - August 22-24, 1997 - 3000+ (largest to that point.)
And unfortunately that's the point up to which I can get my hands on old SGs easily. If someone else has easy access to theirs, perhaps they'll continue the list. However, Fest attendance numbers from 1998-2010 are also probably available online - particularly in old SG Online Updates. Though, of course, they'd have to be tracked down. But the good thing in that respect is that the full texts for many of them from the last several years are right here on the forum.
