A new study released Thursday shows that EAA AirVenture is more than just a global gathering for aviation enthusiasts but a significant driver of economic growth for Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and the surrounding areas.
An independent report from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (UWO) shows that the annual fly-in event generates $257 million of economic impact for the Fox Valley region. Of this, $171 million is direct spending in the five counties in the region—Winnebago, Fond du Lac, Outagamie, Calumet, and Brown. The additional $86 million of impact recirculates throughout the community due to the event’s presence.
The impact extends statewide, with over 70 percent of AirVenture attendees traveling from outside Wisconsin each year, injecting new money into the state. In 2024, visitors from over 90 countries attended.
“The success of EAA AirVenture helps promote our community in many ways, but most importantly is the visibility that occurs worldwide as fly-in visitors ‘Discover Oshkosh,’” said Amy Albright, executive director of the Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Furthermore, the revenue that funds our operations allows us to promote the community and all the other features and activities that make Oshkosh such a great place to live and visit.”
In addition to significant spending, the university study reported that AirVenture supports 2,092 full- and part-time jobs in the region, with 815 of those directly in the Oshkosh community. This explosion in economic activity has earned Oshkosh the nickname of “Wisconsin’s Event City.”
This latest study is an update to a similar UWO report from 2017 using the same methodology to accurately track AirVenture’s growth. In 2017, the event generated $170 million for the surrounding area, a figure that has grown over $80 million dollars in just eight years.
Attendance has also climbed during that period. While 2017 saw 590,000 attendees, over 686,000 are expected at this year’s convention.
“The growth of AirVenture since our last economic impact study in 2017 made it essential that it reflect the current environment,” said Jack Pelton, EAA’s CEO and chairman of the board. “It was very important to have an independent study that looked at the value of the event for our region, as those benefits ripple across nearly every local business sector during AirVenture week while the world literally comes to Oshkosh and Wisconsin.”
The EAA is preparing for its 72nd AirVenture, scheduled for July 21-27, where Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) is expected to handle over 10,000 aircraft operations. Last year’s event saw an impressive 113 takeoffs per hour when the airstrip was open.
Editor’s note: This article first appeared on Plane & Pilot.
