SPENCER, Iowa — The Clay County Fair Association had a significant impact on the local economy, educated thousands of youth, and provided a boost to other non-profit organizations in 2019, according to community impact numbers released today.
“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, the Fair Association is a major player in the economy and quality of life that we enjoy in Spencer and Clay County.”
Parsons continued that the Fair prides itself on being a community partner, especially for fellow non-profit groups. “As a private non-profit organization that has been around for 102 years, the Clay County Fair Association is committed to making Spencer and Clay County a better place to live,” said Parsons.
In 2019, the Clay County Fair Association positively impacted the community in the following areas:
- The Clay County Fair & Events Center employed 12 full-time, 46 part-time/seasonal, and 417 Fair-time employees.
- The Fair Association directly spent $1,532,742.04 with Clay County businesses and residents in 2019.
- At the 2019 Fair, 21 local non-profit organizations raised a total of $495,389.20 through their food & beverage concessions, bingo, shuttles, and Fair services to support their local philanthropic activities. Those organizations included Clay County Cattlemen, Clay County Pork Producers, Clay County Extension, 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, Spencer Women of Today, Kiwanis After 5, Spencer TTT, Spencer Rotary, Spencer Girl Scouts, Iowa Great Lakes Rotary, and Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp.
- 806 4-H/FFA youth from 46 counties in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska exhibited in livestock and human science events at the 2019 Fair, while 1,045 third and fourth graders from 14 regional schools participated in ISU Extension Clay County’s field trip programs at the Fair.
- 342,026 people visited the Fair & Events Center in 2019, attending either the Fair or one of the other 292 events hosted throughout the year. (Non-Fair event attendance totaled 45,028.)
- The Fair Association supported 56 non-profit groups and charities in 2019 by providing $11,109 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 the following: Clay County Fire Appreciation event, “In it Together” Autism Walk, ILCC motorcycle safety course, Reins of Hope, Relay for Life, Spencer Jaycees Haunted House, IGLLS fall auction, Hope Haven, Horizons Unlimited, Iowa FFA Foundation, North Iowa Christian School, Iowa Newspaper Foundation and Arnolds Park Fire Department.
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 claycountyfair.com.
— Clay County Fair & Events Center
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