Clay County Fair Association Shares State of the Fair & Events Center Ahead of Annual Meeting

SPENCER, Iowa — As the Clay County Fair Association prepares to hold its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, the organization is sharing a comprehensive look at the State of the Clay County Fair & Events Center, highlighting the Fair’s impact during the 2025 season, its year-round role in the community, and continued investment in the future.

From strong attendance and youth participation to significant economic impact and facility improvements, the Clay County Fair & Events Center remains a vital community asset for Clay County and northwest Iowa.

A Strong 2025 Clay County Fair

Over nine days in September, the 2025 Clay County Fair welcomed 310,907 attendees, drawing visitors from across the region to experience grandstand entertainment, agricultural exhibits, competitions, and family-friendly attractions.

Youth involvement remained a cornerstone of the Fair:

• 774 4-H and FFA exhibitors from 53 counties across Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota participated in livestock and human sciences events.
• Approximately 1,145 third- and fourth-grade students from 15 regional schools took part in AgCiting and SciCiting field trip programs coordinated by ISU Extension and Outreach – Clay County.

Exhibitor participation continued to reflect the Fair’s national reputation:

• 457 unique commercial exhibitors, concessionaires, and vendors from 36 states were part of the 2025 Fair, including 150 agriculture-focused exhibitors.
• 51 new vendors joined the Fair in 2025.
• 1,248 open class exhibitors entered a combined 10,399 entries across livestock and non-livestock competitions.

Grandstand entertainment drew 15,540 attendees, with shows such as Jeff Dunham, All-Star Monster Trucks, and Bulls & Broncs among the week’s highlights.

Fair Dollars at Work in the Community

Beyond entertainment and tradition, the Clay County Fair continues to generate meaningful economic and community impact.

In 2025:

• 31.5% of all food, beverage, and specialty concession spending went directly to local nonprofit organizations, including producer groups, service clubs, youth organizations, and other community-based nonprofits.
• These funds largely stay in Clay County, supporting scholarships, youth programs, charitable initiatives, and community projects.

Beyond Fair Week: A Year-Round Events Center

While the Clay County Fair remains the organization’s signature event, the Clay County Regional Events Center plays an increasingly important role throughout the year.

In 2025, the Events Center hosted 207 non-Fair events, welcoming an estimated 36,550 visitors. These events ranged from weddings and meetings to livestock shows, races, and trade shows —bringing consistent activity and economic benefits to the community well beyond September.

This year-round usage reinforces the Fairgrounds as a flexible, multi-purpose venue serving residents, organizations, and visitors across northwest Iowa.

Economic Impact Across the Region

A 2024 Economic Impact Study conducted by Johnson Consulting found that the Clay County Fair generated a $92 million economic impact for northwest Iowa during Fair week alone. When combined with year-round Events Center activity, the total impact reached $99.2 million, supporting:

• 760 jobs
• $30.9 million in wages
• Millions in sales and hotel tax revenue that help fund local services, schools, and infrastructure

These figures reflect visitor spending, job creation, and business activity throughout the region, underscoring the Fair’s role as a key economic driver.

Investing in the Future

The Clay County Fair Association continues to invest in its facilities to ensure a safe, accessible, and welcoming experience for exhibitors, guests, and event partners.

The Fair has $407,000 in planned and approved capital improvements for 2026, supporting projects such as:

• Continued electrical upgrades throughout the fairgrounds and campgrounds
• Phase One of Grandstand Improvements focused on safer seating, improved accessibility, and long-term preservation of one of the Fair’s most iconic spaces.
• Ongoing maintenance of the Events Center and fairgrounds.
• Upgrades and improvements to the Carnival Restrooms.

“These investments reflect our responsibility to care for the Fairgrounds while planning for the future,” said Fair CEO Jason Brockshus. “Whether it’s improving safety, accessibility, or guest comfort, our focus is on making sure the Clay County Fair & Events Center remains a place our community can be proud of for generations to come.”

Looking Ahead to 2026

Planning for the 2026 Clay County Fair is already underway. Three Grandstand events are currently on sale and have seen positive momentum and early buyer interest. Additional Grandstand announcements are expected in the coming months, along with a new non-Fair event scheduled at the fairgrounds in June.

As the Clay County Fair Association prepares for its Annual Meeting, this State of the Fair & Events Center snapshot reflects an organization grounded in tradition, strengthened by year-round activity, and focused on continued growth and community impact.

Learn More

The full 2024 Economic Impact Study, including detailed methodology and data, is available on the Clay County Fair’s website at https://claycountyfair.com/history/. This resource provides a deeper look at how the Fair and year-round events support local jobs, businesses, and tourism throughout northwest Iowa.

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. 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 www.claycountyfair.com.

 

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