Clay County Fair Generated $92 Million Economic Impact for Northwest Iowa in 2024

January 12, 2026

SPENCER, Iowa — While many people think of the Clay County Fair as a once-a-year event focused on fun, traditions, and agriculture, a new study shows it also plays a major role in supporting the regional economy—not as direct revenue for the Fair itself, but through visitor spending, job creation, and tax revenue.

To better understand that role, the Clay County Fair participated in the 2024 Economic Impact Study conducted by Johnson Consulting, a Chicago-based hospitality consulting firm. The study was part of a national initiative launched in 2025 through a partnership between Johnson Consulting and the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) to analyze the economic impact of agricultural fairs and expositions across the United States. Data from the Clay County Fair’s 2024 operations were collected and analyzed as part of this first-ever national effort.

The Clay County Fair undertook this study to clearly communicate its value to the community, support long-term planning, and demonstrate how the Fair and year-round events generate economic benefits for the region.

The analysis uses the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s Regional Input-Output Modeling System (RIMS II), a widely recognized economic modeling tool. Johnson Consulting uses RIMS II because it is nationally recognized, transparent, and non-partisan, built on real regional economic data, and is the standard for public-sector economic analysis. The study is based on 2024 attendance figures, visitor spending, and Fair operational spending, taking a conservative approach that excludes full vendor and concession sales.

Understanding Economic Impact

An economic impact study is not a report on how much money the Fair makes. Instead, it measures how Fair-related activity generates economic activity throughout the community. The study looks at:

  • Direct impacts: Spending by visitors and the Fair itself
  • Indirect impacts: The ripple effects as local businesses buy goods and services from one another
  • Induced impacts: Spending by households using wages earned from Fair-related jobs

2024 Economic Impact Highlights

The study found that the Clay County Fair generated a total economic impact of $92.0 million in 2024. This impact was driven by nearly 300,000 visitors, including approximately 96,000 out-of-town attendees, who generated an estimated 7,700 hotel room nights in the region. These visitors spend money on lodging, food, shopping, and entertainment, directly supporting local businesses.

Total direct spending related to the Fair reached $41.7 million, which helped sustain:

  • 710 ongoing jobs
  • $30.9 million in wages across industries, including hospitality, retail, food service, transportation, and event services

The Fair also contributed approximately $2.8 million in sales tax revenue and $153,100 in hotel tax revenue in 2024, funds that help support local schools, infrastructure, and community services.

Year-Round Impact

The Clay County Fair & Events Center hosts events throughout the year. When Fair and non-Fair events are combined, 2024 activity—despite the historic flood in Spencer in June that caused widespread disruption for residents, businesses, and scheduled events— resulted in:

  • 327,999 total visitors
  • $99.2 million in total economic impact
  • 760 jobs sustained

The flood’s impact extended well beyond the initial event, affecting travel, tourism, and economic activity across the region. As a result, these figures likely represent a conservative measure of the Fair & Events Center’s year-round economic contribution.

A Community Asset

“While many people think of the Clay County Fair as a once-a-year event, this study shows its economic impact is felt year-round,” said Fair CEO Jason Brockshus. “The Fair is a community asset that supports local businesses, jobs, and tourism throughout northwest Iowa.”

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.

-###-

Back to News