Clay County Fair: Iowa Time Machine September 24, 1918

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On September 24, 1918, the first-ever Clay County Fair opened in Spencer. The largest agricultural exposition in North America, the Clay County Fair regularly brings in over 300,000 visitors annually to enjoy Iowa’s largest county fair.

In 1917, the Clay County Fair Association came together and started planning for an event that would serve as Iowa’s largest county fair during its inaugural run. Two ornamental entrance portals with arches and towers rose over the fairgrounds as locals prepared for an event that drew over 30,000 attendees and brought in$16,000 in gate receipts (roughly $325,325.56 today).

With the initial fair a success, plans formed to keep improving. In the second year, over 1,200 pork producers alone showed up to exhibit. As crowds continued to swell, officials determined they needed a grander grandstand. A new steel-and-concrete grandstand costing $45,000 and comfortably seating 5,000 people soon rose on the fairgrounds.

Over the decades, the Clay County Fair has continued to welcome massive crowds while ensuring future success through construction projects that improve amenities. Today, the fair spans 35 square blocks and features carnivals, agricultural exhibits, entertainment, and more. #Iowa #OTD #History #Fair #ClayCountyFair