People lined up to get their Black Earth Java fix at the Clay County Fair.
“It’s absolutely been incredible — everything is up from last year,” said owner Natasha Mohror. “And not only us, but other vendors say that everybody just seems so much happier. I think we're just all feeling very, very grateful to be here this year.”
Preliminary numbers released on Oct. 1 show fairgoers spent more than $3.3 million on drinks, food and rides during this year’s event. That broke a record set in 2023.
Even after facing devastating flooding this summer, fair officials called this year’s event a success. Almost 300,000 attended the nine-day event from Sept. 7-15. It is considered one of the country’s largest county fairs, with more than 450 exhibitors and vendors from 37 states.
“June was really, really hard locally. And those volunteers still stepped up and still came out to work in merchandise booths, in our information stands at the other various nonprofits throughout the fair,” said Jason Brockshus, Clay County Fair Partnerships Director. “We have a lot of vendors that joined us as sponsors because they understand the financial undertaking it is to put on a fair like this.”
I think the showing of community support and the resilience of the Spencer community really is highlighted here at the fair.Jason Brockshus, Clay County Fair Partnerships Director
Brockshus said the fair’s charitable trust improved the fairgrounds and invested money in new drainage that proved very useful during the flood.
“I think that made a believer out of everybody that it was money well spent," Brockshus said. “So, the water left quickly, and our elevation is above the flood plain. We survived that way and were actually able to serve as a respite for folks.”
The fairgrounds played an important role in helping Spencer endure. The Red Cross worked out of the fairground's events center, where some flood victims stayed until the middle of August. FEMA opened a recovery center out of the Tower Gate Pavilion. Some even are living in temporary housing on the fairgrounds until their homes can be repaired or rebuilt.
“We are definitely not out of the woods yet, but I think the showing of community support and the resilience of the Spencer community really is highlighted here at the fair, and it will continue through this fall and next year, as well,” Brockshus said.
City leaders also admitted the recovery process will take years.
“It's really going to be hard to make residents and businesses whole, but we're going to try our best to do as best as we can with all of the agencies working together,” said Sheriffa Jones, executive director of the Spencer Chamber and Foundation.
Ultimately, Spencer and Clay County will never be the same.Sheriffa Jones, Spencer Chamber of Commerce Executive Director
Jones said the Chamber Foundation received more than $250,000 from almost 500 donors nationwide and awarded grants to about 40 businesses and 200 residents throughout Clay County. Jones estimated most property owners did not have flood insurance and were receiving local, state and federal help. But, she added, not everyone will get all the funding needed to restore their lives.
“There's always this huge outpouring of support initially, and we definitely saw that. And then it dissipates, and this is going to be a recovery effort that's going to take years — three years, five years, ten years, 20 years. Ultimately, Spencer and Clay County will never be the same," Jones said.
Historic flooding also hit Mohror’s main coffee business on the south side of town. It reopened 23 days after the flood.
“Our hut was fortunately built after some great codes were put in place,” Mohror said. “It was built up enough that it didn't wash it away. However, our 900-pound ice cooler went floating about a mile downstream.”
Even with the damage, Mohror considers herself lucky compared to others trying to rebound from even more damage.
“We were not the worst of the worst — it did not destroy our entire home,” she added.
