2025 Nebraska State Fair

[gisbuxfan]

The 2025 Nebraska State Fair is coming to a close today. Earlier in the week the numbers looked really strong. Still waiting on final numbers..

2025 (First 5 days): 154,464 attendees, a 19% increase from the same period last year.
2024: 314,844 attendees, which is the highest attendance since 2017.
2023: 311,909 attendees.

[remline]

2024: 314,844 attendees, which is the highest attendance since 2017.

Attendance of 300k is impressive for a state with a population of 2MM! I wonder how many attendees come from out of state?

[skinzfan23]

I wonder how many attendees come from out of state?

I always wonder this for the Iowa State Fair. I know that it is one of the biggest in the country but Minnesota and TX blow it out of the water. I am sure that some are from out of town for the Iowa one, but when I have gone in the past, I only see plates from IA and NE (prob most from the Omaha area). The other big thing is how many of those people are repeat visitors? Overall, I just wonder what the actual economic impact is from out of state.

[Brad]

2024: 314,844 attendees, which is the highest attendance since 2017.

Attendance of 300k is impressive for a state with a population of 2MM! I wonder how many attendees come from out of state?

Correct me if I am wrong. The State Fair, CWS, etc, if you go 2 or 3 different days, your attendance is counted 2 or 3 times. So 300K is not 300K different people.

[skinzfan23]

Yes, correct, for sporting events it is counted the same way. Thats why the numbers are always interesting and still provide a look at the number of people attending an event, but for these larger events, I don't think the out-of-town visitors are the majority. Granted, the CWS really benefits Omaha with all the players and their families they bring, but most of all the media exposure it provides for Omaha of being on ESPN for 10 straight days showing our skyline and other view of the Old Market, Bob, etc....

[gisbuxfan]

Im hearing from a number of people that this was one of the better years for the fair. This is based on concerts, attractions, more food vendors, etc. There was also a decent amount of infrastructure work done in the off season such as freshly poured concrete and improved drainage. One of the contributor was the addition of the Grand Island Casino on site. Having a hotel on campus would have helped a lot.

[gisbuxfan]

Final numbers are in for the 2025 State Fair, it had a total attendance of 334,383, marking an increase of 6% year over year.

[nebugeater]

Im hearing from a number of people that this was one of the better years for the fair. This is based on concerts, attractions, more food vendors, etc. There was also a decent amount of infrastructure work done in the off season such as freshly poured concrete and improved drainage. One of the contributor was the addition of the Grand Island Casino on site. Having a hotel on campus would have helped a lot.

I understand that the master plan has paving one of the larger dirt lots for parking, comming closer to being a project.