The Eastern Idaho State Fair is in town this week with all its highs and lows, joys and sorrows, and traditional weight gain. (Who can say no to fair food?) It’s only one week. It’s not like we eat this way all year round, right?

The fair makes a huge impact on our little corner of the world. Do you have any idea how much?

Earlier in the year, the fair board got an estimated economic and fiscal impact statement for free from Johnson Consulting. The group is out of Chicago, and it’s committed to helping government developers and not-for-profits with financial analysis. The figures are based on 2024 numbers. They may shock you.

— The number of visitors to the fair during the nine days: 256,209.

— The economic impact on the local economy: $74.3 million.

— The sales tax generated: $2 million.

— The hotel revenues: $7,900.

— The hotel room nights generated: 2,4000.

— The number of jobs sustained: 600.

— The wages created: $25.2 million.

The fair has operated in the black for years now. That wasn’t always the case. The fair board has big plans for that money, like new, safer, handicapped accessible grandstands. I don’t know about you, but when I go to see the Indian Relay racing, I have a more difficult time every year managing to climb to my seat. I grab every shoulder along the way and ask for a boost. And the fire department has always worried about the wood construction not being fireproof.

Maybe some millionaire out there will donate the money for naming rights. Just a thought.

The money is great, but you can’t put a price on the real benefit of the fair: the memories.

That time you entered your grandmother’s fudge recipe and got a blue ribbon. The time your son or daughter got reserve champion for the sheep, or calf, or pig they spent the entire summer feeding, grooming and teaching to walk with a halter. The pride on their little faces when hearing the bids go higher and higher. The tears running down their cheeks when they realize they have to say goodbye to what has become a beloved pet. All part of the process of growing up “country.”

The carnival rides that you were afraid to go on because of your fear of heights, but the cute boy from school asks you to sit by him, so you swallow your fear so you can hold hands for a couple thrilling, chilling minutes. And then you get off the ride, and vomit at his feet.

Maybe that only happened to me.

My point is, the fair is something Bingham County looks forward to every year. We put on one hell of a party. And let’s not forget, it may be located here, but there’s 16 counties that also take ownership. It takes a village.

The EISF does put quite a burden on our emergency services. The sheriff, police and fire chief have always done an excellent job providing safety and security outside the gates.

Meanwhile, the fair hires police officers from other counties to handle the rowdies inside the gates. We are well taken care of at the fair.

The fair board did give $7,500 dollars each to the police and sheriff’s office to help them out. It’s a step in the right direction, but I think they will need a bigger budget in the coming years. I talked to Chief Wes Wheatley, and he gave me some food for thought. Zero calories.

The financial burden to the Blackfoot police department budget is about $30,000 in overtime and supplies.

There’s an 82% increase in calls for services and a 133% increase in arrests and citations.

Officers work 12-hour shifts for the nine days, and there’s no time off for officers fair week.

Make no mistake, the fair generates a larger footprint on Blackfoot than it did in the time it was only four days long. So I hope the fair board listens to the chief and helps out the county and city as best it can in future budgets. It’s for all of us who love the fair and attend it faithfully — and gain a few pounds.