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 featuring arches and towers rose over the fairgrounds as locals prepared for an event that would see over 30,000 in attendance and $16,000 in gate receipts (roughly $325,325.56 today).
With the initial fair a success, plans came together for continued improvement. In the second year, over 1,200 pork producers alone showed up to exhibit. As crowds continued to swell, officials determined a grander grandstand would be necessary. 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 aimed at improving amenities. Today, the fair spreads out over 35 square blocks and features carnivals, agricultural exhibits, entertainment, and many other wonders. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
