WEST FARGO, ND — The CEO of the Red River Valley Fair Association says the 2024 Big Iron Farm show set a new record for vendors.
The Red River Fair Association operates Big Iron, and CEO Cody Cashman, appearing on the Flag’s Steve Hallstrom Show, that there were 46 new vendors this year. According to the event website, there were 158 vendors and 29 sponsors.
Cashman says the number of attendees was also up from last year, with more than 70-thousand people attending the three-day show, up from 60-thousand a year ago.
The show began in 1980 and has since expanded to 400 acres of displays at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds.
This was the first year that the show was expanded to include the construction industry, but Cashman says that most of the growth in vendors came from the ag sector with only two or three new construction companies.
Cashman adds that many ag companies also serve the construction industry, so there has always been some overlap.
Cashman says complimentary admission is a big reason turnout was strong.
“Most stems from being free,” says Cashman. “Vendors are competing for the same dollars, and if you’re not at Big Iron people wonder if you’re still in business. And now they’re getting more competitive with dollars being stretched a little further, with commodity prices where they’re at. But I will tell you, events that are affordable, people are coming to.”
Cashman says the second of the three days – Wednesday – was the busiest day of the show.
