Butler County estimates over 200,000 visitors for summer events so far
Despite economic challenges this year, people are still willing to travel to Butler County for the many events held there during the summer months.
According to estimates recently released by Experience Butler County — formerly the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau — the county has drawn in over 200,000 visitors for some of its major summer events.
The Big Butler Fair, which ran from June 26 through July 5, attracted an estimated 150,000 guests. The Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, held this June, brought an estimated 30,000 visitors and 2,000 Jeeps.
The Firecracker 100, the centerpiece event of the racing season at Lernerville Speedway in Buffalo Township, drew roughly 10,000 fans on June 21, the last day of a full week of racing action.
“We are excited to see continued growth at these events each year,” said Amy Pack, president of Experience Butler County, in a news release. “These events attract new visitors to Butler County and give them a reason to come back every year.”
One of these events, the Mars New Year — a space and science-themed festival held in the eponymous borough — is held every two years, instead of every year, to coincide with the rotation of the planet Mars around the sun. Experience Butler County estimates that this year’s event, the sixth held so far, attracted about 8,000 visitors over two days.
In addition, although the event itself wasn’t held within the county, Butler County received some of the tourism benefits from this year’s U.S. Open golf tournament, held at the Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh. Hotels, restaurants and golf courses in Butler County received boosts from the event’s visitors.
According to Pack, many visitors come from far away to sample what Butler County has to offer.
“Our stats show we have had an especially strong draw this year from the Pittsburgh region, all parts of Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Florida and Ohio,” Pack said. “Our events are unique and have a great following.”
Mars Mayor Gregg Hartung said funds raised by events such as Mars New Year do not go directly into the coffers of municipalities, but are largely spread to business owners who receive exposure from them.
“The borough doesn't use events to raise money for itself. It has events to help businesses to have traffic and for promoting the community as a place to live, work and play. This is the benefit that the borough gets in having events,” Hartung said. “Tourism is an economic driver for businesses in town who participate, food vendors, exhibitors and others who may be invited by the hosting organization.”
According to the latest available data from Tourism Economics, Butler County saw $666.3 million of tourism spending in 2023, surpassing the $626.1 million in spending from 2019 — the year immediately preceding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of that tourism revenue, $74.6 million was spent on lodging, which can include both hotels and short-term rentals; $156.5 million on food and beverages; $133.9 million on recreation; $117.7 on retail purchases and $183.6 on transportation.
“The spending of the attendees and/or visitors in our county, while here for an event or festival feeds into the overall economic impact of a time period,” Pack said. “Tourism dollars for marketing and promotion are collected in this county by the tax levied on overnight stays in our many lodging establishments including hotels, B & Bs, cabins and vacation rentals. They are, in turn, invested right back into the many overall marketing and promotion initiatives of the county.”
Other major events still to come in Butler County this summer are the annual Regatta at Moraine State Park to be held Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 2 and 3, and the Butler Farm Show to be held Sunday, Aug. 4, through Aug. 9.
