By Wendy Gonzalez, 2026 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern
There are places people visit once, and there are places that give them a reason to return. For nearly five decades, Moultrie has been the latter for thousands of Sunbelt Ag Expo visitors. What began as an agricultural exhibition has grown into an annual gathering that reaches far beyond the grounds of Spence Field, bringing national attention to a South Georgia community that has played an important role in its success.
Each October, the Expo welcomes visitors from across the country, many of whom have made the trip an annual tradition. While Spence Field serves as the center of the event, the experience extends into Moultrie itself. Local restaurants welcome guests who have spent the day exploring the grounds, and hotel rooms fill with exhibitors resting after another busy day. For many returning visitors, the town has become just as familiar as the Expo.
The relationship between Moultrie and the Sunbelt Ag Expo, however, began long before the event became what it is today.
Its roots trace back to 1964, when agricultural engineering students at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton organized Dealer Day, an event designed to connect students with agricultural equipment dealers. As attendance and participation increased, the exhibition eventually outgrew its original location. In 1978, the event moved to the former Spence Field air base near Moultrie, where it established the foundation for what would become North America’s Premier Farm Show.
Since then, the Expo has grown alongside the community that welcomed it.
The event’s influence is especially evident in the local economy. Each year, exhibitors and visitors create additional business for restaurants and lodging establishments throughout the area. The economic activity also reaches neighboring communities, extending the benefits of Expo week well beyond Colquitt County.
A 2019 economic impact study conducted by the University of Georgia’s Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development estimated that the Expo generated approximately $16.72 million in annual economic output across a 20-county region of South Georgia. The study also identified $1.1 million in state and local tax revenue, illustrating the financial significance of an event that lasts only three days.
Still, the Expo’s value to Moultrie cannot be measured entirely in dollars.
Much of its success reflects the support of local organizations and businesses that have maintained a relationship with the event over the years. The city of Moultrie and Colquitt County government are among its community supporters, alongside the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce. Their continued involvement speaks to the importance of an event that has become closely associated with the area’s identity.
That connection is also reflected in the participation of local agricultural organizations. Colquitt County FFA, for example, is among this year’s food vendors, serving meals to visitors throughout the event. Its presence offers a fitting reminder that the Expo’s influence extends to young people preparing to enter an industry that has long shaped South Georgia.
Beyond Spence Field, Moultrie offers visitors an opportunity to experience the community for themselves.
At the center of downtown stands the historic Colquitt County Courthouse, surrounded by a square that has remained a recognizable part of Moultrie’s identity for generations. Locally owned businesses occupy the surrounding streets, offering visitors a chance to explore the town beyond the agricultural exhibition. For those staying overnight, an evening downtown can offer a different perspective on the place they have traveled to visit.
The Expo may introduce visitors to Moultrie, but the town has its own story to tell.
Agriculture has long influenced the area’s economy and way of life, but Moultrie is also a community shaped by the people who have chosen to build their lives there. Its relationship with the Expo reflects that same sense of investment. What happens at Spence Field each October is supported by a hometown whose involvement has helped sustain the event through decades of change.
As another Expo week unfolds, the grounds will once again welcome familiar faces alongside those experiencing the event for the first time. Some will return to favorite exhibits, while others will discover something entirely new. And beyond the gates, Moultrie will continue doing what it has done for nearly five decades: welcoming the people who make the journey.
The Sunbelt Ag Expo has given Moultrie a place in the agricultural spotlight. In return, Moultrie has given the Expo something equally lasting.
A place to call home.
