Clay County Fair facts for kids

The Clay County Fair is a huge yearly event held every September in Spencer, Iowa, United States. It's known as the biggest county fair in all of Iowa. It also hosts the largest agricultural exposition in North America, which means it has a massive display of farm animals and crops! Over 310,000 people visit the fair each year, making it one of the largest county fairs in the United States. In 2011, it even set a new record with 328,000 visitors. The fair started way back in 1918 and has grown a lot over the last hundred years.

History of the Fair

When the Clay County Fair first opened in 1918, about 30,000 guests came to enjoy it. By 1936, the fair had built its second grandstand, a large seating area for watching events. This grandstand could hold over 7,500 people and is still used today! During the 1930s, more buildings were added for showing off livestock and other farm animals. The Clay County Fair has truly become the biggest county fair in the Midwest.

What You Can See and Do

The fair is packed with fun things to do! It has a huge carnival with more than 80 rides and attractions. You can also find many businesses and vendors with booths all over the fairgrounds. The fair covers an area as large as 35 city blocks, and it seems to get more crowded with exciting things every year.

Famous Visitors and Performers

Many well-known people and groups have visited or performed at the Clay County Fair over the years. These include former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Al Gore, and famous entertainers like Bob Hope, Johnny Cash, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, ZZ Top, and Garth Brooks. In 2007, the music group Aly & AJ played their first show in Iowa right here at the fair.

Modern Fair Facilities

The Clay County Fairgrounds now includes the Clay County Regional Events Center. This building has opened up many new possibilities for the fair.

The Events Center

The Events Center is a great place for indoor concerts and other shows. It can seat up to 3,400 people. It has hosted famous acts like The Barnum and Bailey Circus and the amazing Lipizzan Stallions. The center also has a big ballroom and dining room that can seat up to 400 people, allowing for even more events and growth.

The Race Track

In 2007, the fair also updated its race track. The old track was a large, flat, half-mile oval, mostly used for horse racing. To host exciting auto racing events, the fair decided to build a brand new track. It was changed to a 3/8-mile clay track with higher corners for faster car speeds. A modern lighting system was also added so drivers and fans could see the races better.

In 2008, the track hosted races from groups like the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) and the World Dirt Racing League (WDRL). These events featured different types of race cars, including Modifieds, Stock Cars, and Sprints. The racing season ended with a visit from the World of Outlaws during the fair.

Breaking a World Record

In 2013, the Clay County Fair Association teamed up with Iowa Lakes Community College. Their goal was to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Science Experiment.

The Science Experiment

To set the record, they needed at least 750 people to take part in a half-hour science lesson and experiment in the Grandstand. The previous record was 749 students in Norway. During the experiment, everyone participated in two cool activities. One experiment involved mixing chemicals to create a foam that looked like "elephant toothpaste." The second experiment used leaf blowers to show how kinetic energy works.

Fair Cancellations

On July 2, 2020, it was announced that the Clay County Fair would be canceled for that year. This decision was made because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Why the Fair Was Canceled

After looking at many options, it became clear that it would be impossible to keep people safely distanced. They couldn't protect the health of fairgoers, staff, volunteers, young people in 4-H and FFA, vendors, and entertainers. Even though the main fair was canceled, 4-H and FFA livestock competitions still took place that fall. The fair planned to reopen from September 11-19, 2021. This was only the fifth time the fair had been canceled in its long history. The last time it was canceled was during World War II, from 1942 to 1945.

Images for kids

• 

  Behind the Grand Stands.