Clay County Fair & Events Center helps local non-profits raise more than $600,000 in 2022

Spencer, Iowa — The Clay County Fair Association, a private 501(c)5 organization, completed a successful 2022 by making a significant impact on the local economy, educating thousands of youth, and providing a boost to other non-profit organizations.

“The Clay County Fair Association plays an important role in our community as a tourist attraction and destination,” said Fair & Events Center CEO Jeremy Parsons. “More than that, however, as a private non-profit organization that has been around for 105 years, the Clay County Fair Association is committed to making Spencer and Clay County a better place to live.”

In 2022, the Clay County Fair Association positively impacted the community in the following areas:

·        The Clay County Fair & Events Center employed 13 full-time, 49 part-time/seasonal, and 293 Fair-time employees.

·        The Fair Association directly spent $1,626,057.09 with Clay County businesses and residents in 2022.

·        At the 2022 Fair, 12 local non-profit organizations raised a total of $618,131.22 through their food and beverage concessions, bingo, and shuttles to support their local philanthropic activities. Those organizations included Clay County Cattlemen, Clay County Pork Producers, Daybreakers Kiwanis, Hy Noon Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus Bingo, Peterson Lions, Royal Lions, Spencer Area Shrine, Spencer Area Shrine ATV, Spencer Family YMCA, Spencer Jaycees and the Spencer Women of Today.

·        750 4-H/FFA youth from 46 counties in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska exhibited in livestock and human science events at the 2022 Fair, while 1,300 third and fourth graders from 15 regional schools participated in ISU Extension Clay County’s field trip programs at the Fair.

·        357,759 people visited the Fair & Events Center in 2022, attending either the Fair or one of the other 246 events hosted throughout the year. Non-Fair event attendance totaled 32,174.

·        The Fair Association supported 34 non-profit groups and charities in 2022 by providing nearly $10,000 worth of merchandise, concert/event tickets, and admission tickets for their fundraising events (auctions, golf outings, etc.) or by serving as a sponsor and/or host. Some of these groups included Reins of Hope, Relay for Life, Spencer Jaycees Haunted House, Abben Cancer Golf Classic, and Spencer Fine Arts Boosters.

About The Clay County Fair & Events Center Rooted in Tradition, the Clay County Fair and Events Center is a year-round facility that annually hosts more than 300 events, including its signature event, the Clay County Fair powered by SMU. Known as “The World’s Greatest County Fair” since 1917, the Clay County Fair attracts more than 300,000 guests each September for nine days of world-class entertainment, competition, food, fun, and the largest farm machinery show at any fair in the United States. Additional information can be found at claycountyfair.com.

-###-