Big Butler Fair an economic engine for our economy
The rides are gone, ribbons have been awarded, animals are back home and the seductive smell of fair food not longer wafts through the air.
The 167th annual edition of the Big Butler Fair has capped another successful run.
An estimated 150,000 people passed through the gates during the weeklong event, providing a boon to local businesses.
“It’s one of the largest tourist events in the county,” Jack Cohen, president of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, told the Eagle on Tuesday.
Vendors, local businesses and gig workers are among many who benefit from the influx of people who visit the fair in Franklin Township.
Official statistics are not yet available, but Cohen said the fair can generate millions of dollars for the community each year. He said the county’s tourism business dropping nearly 90% during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jordan Grady, president of Butler County Chamber of Commerce, called the fair “an economic engine that drives growth and prosperity in our community,”
The fair, billed as the largest fair in Western Pennsylvania, attracts thousands of people who spend on stays in our hotels, eat in our restaurants and shop at our stores, among other things.
So while it is a fun atmosphere to reunite with old friends, watch a son, daughter or grandchild proudly display the animal they worked so hard throughout the year to groom for the event, or just take in a demolition derby involving buses, the fair also is a huge economic boost to our county’s economy.
Tom Taylor, owner of Fairground Market just across the road from the fair, says his business increases an estimated 50% during the fair.
“It’s the best week of the year for business,” said Taylor, who has owned the market for 40 years. “It’s a great thing for the community. It’s great and provides great entertainment.”
— JGG
