WACO, Texas (KXXV) — The Heart O’ Texas Fair and Rodeo is not only a beloved local tradition but also a major economic driver, generating millions in revenue and supporting hundreds of jobs across Central Texas.
- The Heart O’ Texas Fair and Rodeo brings over 200,000 visitors annually to Waco.
- The event contributes more than $70 million in yearly economic impact.
- It supports the local economy with more than 500 contract jobs and over 90 vendors.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
As the Heart O’ Texas Fair and Rodeo continues drawing big crowds to our community, organizers say it’s not just about the fun — it’s about the impact.
“On a year-round basis, we have over $70 million of economic impact, but just for the fair and rodeo, there are over 200,000 guests each year,” said Dustin Coufal, CEO of the Heart O’ Texas Fair and Rodeo.
And many of those guests aren’t locals — they're coming from out of town and spending money here in our neighborhoods.
“We have people staying at hotels, they are eating at restaurants, they are buying gas at gas stations, it brings in a lot of money to Waco and McLennan County,” Coufal said.
The Heart O’ Texas Fair and Rodeo is the largest event held at the Extraco Event Center every year and creates more than 500 contract labor jobs
It also supports more than 90 vendors.
“This is just like a family vacation for a lot of people, but it’s also their family entertainment for the year so there are a lot of opportunities for them to come support local businesses and support the folks here in McLennan County,” Coufal said.
The fair will run from Oct. 2 through Oct. 12. You can find more information here.
