'The World's Greatest County Fair' is Also Largest in Iowa

When it debuted 105 years ago it did so in grand fashion. It hasn't slowed down.

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September 24, 1918, was the date of the beginning of the first Clay County Fair in Spencer, in northwest Iowa. Over the next four days, the fair would attract a crowd of over 30,000 people.

After its first year, the Clay County Fair's explosion of growth happened very quickly. I guess we shouldn't be surprised it's turned into the largest county fair in Iowa.

In 1919, the fair drew approximately 48,500 people over four days and, in 1928, just a decade after it debuted, 110,105 people came through the gates. It was that year that the Clay County Fair became known as 'The World's Greatest County Fair.' The slogan still continues to this day.

Clay County Fair

By 1931, the fair had a new grandstand that would seat 5,000. The grandstand is still being used today and the fair now has a farm machinery/agribusiness display area that covers... get this... 35 acres! According to the Clay County Fair, it's "the largest such display of any fair in the United States or Canada." As you can see, the fair also boasts a whole lot of food vendors.

Clay County Fair

Now let's talk numbers. Last year's Clay County Fair drew a total of 325,585 people. That was just over 9,000 short of the all-time record of 334,575, set in 2013. Topping more than 300,000 people each year, its attendance far exceeds other county fairs across the state.

The Clay County Fair says people spent $3,040,177.45 at the fair in 2022, an all-time record.

The 9-day fair has a rich history when it comes to live performers. You can see the list, dating back to 1965, here. The 2023 fair is held from September 9 through 17. The grandstand schedule for this year's Clay County Fair is below.

Saturday, September 9: Parmalee with Thompson Square
Sunday, September 10: Katy Nichole with Community Worship Collaborative
Monday, September 11: Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone with The Assocation
Tuesday, September 12: Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Cars & SLMR Late Models
Wednesday, September 13: IMCA Blue Ribbon Showdown
Thursday, September 14: Jo Dee Messina with Diamond Rio
Friday, September 15: Hairball
Saturday, September 16: Dylan Scott with Ingrid Andress
Sunday, September 17: Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull

Historic Photos of Arnolds Park Amusement Park

The area would get the name 'Arnolds Park' in 1882, but it would be seven more years before the first attraction, a wooden waterslide, was built and the amusement park would open. More than 130 years later Arnolds Park Amusement Park is still going strong and is one of the longest operating amusement parks in the world. Here's a look back at historical photos of the amusement park in Arnolds Park, Iowa, in the middle of the Iowa Great Lakes region.

Great Photos from the 2022 Iowa State Fair

For the 20th consecutive year the Iowa State Fair was held (it was canceled in 2020), more than one million people attended the 11-day event in Des Moines.

Source: ‘The World’s Greatest County Fair’ is Also the Largest One Held in Iowa

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