(The 2023 Deschutes County Fair attracted 840,000 total visitors, and generated $25M in revenue | Photo courtesy of Geoff Hinds)
“We’re hitting on all cylinders,” said Geoff Hinds, director, looking back on the 2023 Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo, which attracted 840,000 total visitors, and “exceeded expectations in its economic impact, generating millions in revenue for both local and traveling small businesses.”
With a 20-year career in managing fairs, festivals, concerts, and special events, Hinds was exposed to the field through his grandfather, who served as chief executive officer of the Los Angeles County Fair, one of the nation’s largest with 1.3 million annual visitors, “I was probably introduced to that world at one or two years old,” he recalled.
Jumping ahead to June 2019, when Hinds started as director of the Deschutes County Fair & Expo (DCFE), “I was just in time for the 100th annual fair, and the Covid shutdown.” Taking that in stride, Hinds said that “in the last few years, we’ve experienced the highest profitability and revenue in history — along with record-setting growth in gate revenue.”
According to Hinds, the current 320-acre DCFE facility is the largest in the northwest, and one of the largest of its type in the U.S. — with 300,000 square feet of indoor space. The multipurpose fair and event venue is owned and operated by Deschutes County, with almost 400 annual events including the fair itself. Local economic impact generated by events at DCFE so far in 2023 totals $94,999,100 — with $25 M coming from the fair alone.
(Underscoring the regional appeal of the various events is the fact that 50 percent of DCFE visitors came from 50+ miles away in 2023, while 43 percent traveled 100+ miles.)
“While we were thrilled with the incredible success of the 103rd Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo,” said Hinds, “we watched through the lens of planning for 2024. We’re always trying to find creative ways to focus on history and tradition, while adjusting and building on our scope. One example was this year’s drone show, the first of its kind in Central Oregon. And I can promise more new surprises in 2024.”
“Our bottom-line goal, in addition to being financially successful and contributing to the economic growth of the region, is to continue to produce a good product that people can enjoy — one that truly encapsulates the spirit of Central Oregon.
