GREENBRIER COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – The State Fair of West Virginia’s economic impact on the Mountain State as of 2023 was $16.9 million.
That includes everything from sales to gas tax, and expenditure, from those who buy from the fair’s local artisans and businesses.
Of those benefits that trickle down, whether through direct or indirect spending, the event’s impact is significant.
“We’ve got a waiting list for our vendors every year. We get thousands of applications, and only so much space on the property. So we’ve got a long list. We give spots to returning vendors,” said CEO Kelly Collins. “From there, if we have folks who are not returning, we try to fill those spots as soon as possible. I know a lot of the vendors work all year to get enough product to sell here at the State Fair of West Virginia. So it’s really special for them as well.”
The economic impact a fair has on a region is underestimated.
“I mean, we, for example, have eaten before the fair opens – gone out to restaurants. We spend money, go shopping, and go to stores,” Gillette’s Pizza & Lemonade’s Brian Gillette said. “I had a local repair person from Beckley come and fix our ice machine. We buy tires and equipment. The fair is a tremendous asset to the community.”
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