Using surveys, records and data on fairgrounds across the country, it estimated in a new report that fairs across the country last year generated about $30 billion in economic impact . Fairs in the Rocky Mountain states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico generated an estimated total of $2.5 billion. More than 80% of fairs in the region see fewer than 100,000 attendees. To Grindle, this shows their importance beyond the week long annual fairs. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.