When David Grindle pictures an agricultural fair, he sees local connections on display.
“You come into the fairgrounds, and the first thing you run into are the parking attendants – the kids from the local high school who are raising money to buy new uniforms for soccer,” he said. “And then you walk through the door, and the animals in the barns that are being showcased are from your neighbors, who are the farmers.”
Grindle is the President and CEO of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions. Even in a small town, he said, these events are a big deal. His organization wanted to quantify theeconomic benefits.
Using surveys, records and data on fairgrounds across the country, it estimated in a new report that fairs across the country last year generated about $30 billion in economic impact. That includes tickets and food sales, hotel stays, workers’ wages, advertising and more. The estimate did not incorporate revenue made by concessionaires and other businesses at the fairs.
Fairs in the Rocky Mountain states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico generated an estimated total of $2.5 billion. More than 80% of fairs in the region see fewer than 100,000 attendees.
“That's not huge when you spread it out over several days,” said Grindle. “Yet the impact they're bringing shows how much value they bring to their community.”
Though the season of carnival rides, livestock shows, and deep-fried treats is winding down, fairgrounds continue to hold events throughout the year, from rodeo competitions to holiday markets to specialty expositions. Some even serve as polling places during elections. To Grindle, this shows their importance beyond the week long annual fairs.
“When we invest in our fairgrounds and make sure they have infrastructure, they help drive other things in our community,” said Grindle.
Meanwhile, fair operators are already busy making plans and booking entertainment for next year.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between KUNC, Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio, KJZZ in Arizona and NPR, with additional support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
