More people means more money for Paso’s local economy and local businesses are ready for the extra foot traffic.
For the Adelaide hotel, their lowest booked nights sit below a 20% capacity rate. Most nights during the fair are 95% booked or they're completely sold out.
“Lots of our housekeepers come an extra day a week," manager Shaina Knightshead said. "We need some more staff here. Front desk is extra staffed. Also, we do parking passes during the fair. That's a whole thing we don't normally do.”
Knightshead says their guests range from locals, to families from the valley, and even 4-H families who stay the entire week.
“They treat our housekeepers well," Knightshead said. "We don't have to turn over rooms as quickly because they're here for the whole week. And that that gives us a little bit of a break.”
Knightstead says she believes this is their first year seeing numbers back where they expected them to be since COVID-19.
More than 334,000 people attended the fair last year, which was a .5 percent increase over the 2022 fair attendance.
The carnival rides produced more than $1.6 million dollars last year. That included a free day of rides on opening day.
Local wineries are staying open to accommodate the extra visitors in town.
“We are the first to open," Serial Wines Sales and Hospitality manager Terri Harrington said. "We are open at 10 a.m. so people can come before the fair and we're open till midnight Thursday, Friday and Saturday. So they often come after the concerts and we're ready with the wine and with the staff.”
