2026 Clay County Fair by the Numbers

September 25, 2026

Spencer, Iowa — The 2026 Clay County Fair, powered by SMU, may be remembered as the year Fair Brain had to weather a little more rain than usual. Cool temperatures, wet conditions, and several rainy days challenged fairgoers, exhibitors, vendors, and the Fair staff throughout the nine-day event. But even with less-than-ideal Fair weather, thousands of people continued to show up, participate and support one of Iowa’s favorite traditions.

The numbers tell the story of a Fair that continued to see strong participation across youth programs, agriculture, open-class competition, and special events.

“While the weather certainly presented some challenges for this year’s Fair, what stood out to me was the commitment of the people who continued to show up and support it,” said CEO Jason Brockshus. “Our exhibitors, vendors, volunteers, employees, sponsors and fairgoers all play an important role in making the Clay County Fair what it is. Even on the rainy days, you could see that this tradition still means a lot to people. We’re grateful to everyone who continued to show up, participate and help make the 2026 Fair a success.”

The 2026 Clay County Fair’s impact can be seen in several key areas:

Youth Involvement

  • 794 4-H and FFA exhibitors from 48 counties showcased their hard work in livestock and human sciences events at the 2026 Fair. Exhibitors represented Iowa and Minnesota.
  • 1,164 third- and fourth-grade students participated in the Fair’s educational opportunities through the AgCiting and SciCiting field trip programs, coordinated by ISU Extension and Outreach – Clay County. The group included 676 third graders and 488 fourth graders from 15 regional school districts.

FFA & Agricultural Education

  • FFA Day on Tuesday, September 15, brought 738 students and 75 adults to the Clay County Fair for a day focused on agricultural education, leadership, and career opportunities.
  • FFA Day welcomed students from 48 schools across Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota, expanding the Fair’s connection with agricultural education programs throughout the region.

Exhibitor & Vendor Participation

  • 460 vendors and concessionaires participated in the 2026 Clay County Fair, representing businesses and organizations from 35 states.
  • Of those, 50 were first-year vendors, bringing new businesses, products, food, and experiences to the Fairgrounds.
  • 166 agriculture-specific vendors were part of the 2026 Fair, continuing the Clay County Fair’s long-standing role as a major destination for agriculture and agricultural equipment.
  • 59 food and beverage concessionaires helped feed fairgoers throughout the nine-day event, offering everything from traditional Fair favorites to new food creations.
  • 1,368 open-class exhibitors entered competitions throughout the Fair, up from 2025.
  • Those exhibitors submitted 10,619 total open-class entries, showcasing the creativity, skill, and dedication of participants across the Fair’s many competitive departments.

Grandstand Entertainment

  • Grandstand events drew 15,188 attendees during the 2026 Fair.
  • The Grandstand attendance total does not include the originally scheduled Blue Ribbon Showdown Races on Friday, September 18, which were canceled due to unfit track conditions following the weather.
  • The top three Grandstand shows by attendance were Martina McBride, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias and All-Star Monster Trucks.

Attendance

  • The 2026 Clay County Fair welcomed 284,405 fairgoers over nine days.
  • Tuesday, September 15, set a new all-time Tuesday attendance record, with 35,345 fairgoers passing through the gates.

While the 2026 Fair brought its share of rain and cool temperatures, the continued participation from exhibitors, vendors, volunteers, sponsors and fairgoers demonstrated the lasting connection the Clay County Fair has with the communities it serves.

“We saw people continue to come through the gates, compete, exhibit, work, volunteer and enjoy the Fair, even when the weather wasn’t cooperating,” Brockshus said. “That kind of support is what keeps this tradition going.”

The Clay County Fair extends its appreciation to the volunteers, exhibitors, vendors, concessionaires, sponsors, employees, and fairgoers who contributed to the 2026 Fair. Their time, talent, and dedication continue to make the Clay County Fair a destination for agriculture, entertainment, competition, education, and community each September.

The Clay County Fair looks forward to welcoming fairgoers back to Spencer for the 2027 Fair and continuing the traditions that make Fair Brain so hard to cure.

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 200 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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