ANDERSON — The Madison County 4-H Fair has long been a showcase for youth to display their talents and hard work in activities from woodworking to photography to raising livestock.
The fair, which returns next week, is also an economic engine that brings untold thousands of people into the county, giving the city of Alexandria and a host of local businesses the opportunity to interact with potential new customers — and perhaps future residents.
“What that means for Alexandria is huge, the economic impact,” said Clayton Whitson, president and CEO of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce.
“Any time you have that influx of people from not just all over Madison County but really all over the region, coming to visit and spend time, you’re getting an opportunity to showcase the amenities and the business offerings that you’ve got here.”
The fair, hosted by Alexandria since 1942, has long been a vital part of the city’s identity.
“The fair gives them an idea of who we are,” said Alexandria Mayor Todd Naselroad. “We’re just a safe place. … It’s a safe little fair to take the kids to, ride rides, see the animals. I feel like that’s important to people with all that’s going on in the world.”
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Officials are reluctant to estimate the fair’s economic impact on both Alexandria and Madison County, but advancing technology has allowed the Anderson Madison County Visitors Bureau to assess where visitors are coming from.
According to data compiled by the bureau, at least 5% of last year’s estimated 46,000 fairgoers drove more than 50 miles to visit, with the average stay spanning more than three hours.
“As a regional draw, it’s heavy all over the state,” said Mark Thacker, executive director of the Anderson Madison County Visitors Bureau. “There are outliers from Detroit, Missouri, Southern Illinois and each tip of the state has people coming in.”
While origin points for fair visits tend to skew heavily toward Madison County, Thacker said the value of introducing more than 2,000 people to Alexandria — and the attractions in the surrounding area — can’t be overstated.
“Every time we get to introduce people to one of our communities, it’s an opportunity for us to shine,” he said. “I think a lot of people, especially locals, we have a tendency to take for granted what our neighboring municipalities have to offer.”
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Businesses from across the county also see the fair as a valuable networking opportunity. A pavilion set up across the midway from the rides allows representatives from dozens of companies to greet people, give away items and collect information from prospective customers.
“We’ve got a lot of out-of-town businesses that come to Madison County and bring business here to Madison County,” Whitson said. “It gives us an opportunity to network with those folks and gives us an opportunity to try and pitch them on Madison County and relocating to this area. … It’s kind of a business recruitment tool as well.”