Move the Santa Clara County Fair to South County, while a
permanent place can be purchased or leased in South County.
Brainstorm with successful fair, festival planners what’s worked
for their events and incorporate those ideas into the beleaguered
event. Consider joining our neighbors to the south to present one
strong agriculture-based event to county residents for the strong
value of what it truly is.
Recent attendance and profit numbers released by organizers of the Santa Clara County Fair early last month at the old and dilapidated fairgrounds in San Jose reveal the event has outlived its location and functionality.
Event producers – the nonprofit Santa Clara County Fair Management Corp. – must reinvent the wheel on this event, which has been in the valley since 1856 and at the recent location since 1939. Attendance has been declining since the 1980s from 600,000 visitors to 30,000 in 2005, to the latest 31,000 who attended this year. Attendance has not increased even while organizers have tried catering events to young families and eliminating the carnival rides and concerts for adult audiences. Revenue has also dropped from $310,515 in 2005 to $295, 458 in 2006. A loss of more than $15,000.
Aided by the sponsoring Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, Fair Management Corp. and other business sponsors should move the three-day festival to South Valley, the center of agriculture.
Now that the county’s plan to build a $96 million concert hall at the fairgrounds has been axed, it’s a good time to bring the location’s premier event south to allow county officials to consider intelligent options for one of their most valuable assets. The Tully Road land alone, about 200 acres, could be worth millions to the county at a time when it’s facing a $200 million budget deficit.
Supervisors and Fair Management Corp. should consider what’s worked for other similar fairs, including the state fair being held in Sacramento. They need to develop strategies and tactics to achieve their goal of a profitable, popular event similar to beloved community events such as the Garlic Festival and the popular San Diego County Fair, which is attended by more than 1 million people every year.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage, who wants to move the fair to South County, needs to convince organizers that heading south is in the best interest of county residents and main event participants. There’s no need to continue to struggle at the downtown location when it’s obvious, based on participants’ feedback, that the event needs to present itself for what it is – old fashioned agricultural adventures that allow children and adults alike the opportunity to learn about our animal friends, the bounty of the earth and simple hometown fun.
Agriculture remains strong in Morgan Hill, Gilroy and San Martin. Our closeness to San Benito County also opens many possibilities. One could be that fair planners consider joining San Benito County Fair organizers presenting one event to residents from both counties to enjoy.
Many supporters of 4-H clubs in Morgan Hill, Gilroy and San Martin support the idea of bringing the fair to South County. So do Future Farmers of America leaders and their followers, where the work of young people in the community could be showcased on a more local stage.
Move the Santa Clara County Fair to South County, while a permanent place can be purchased or leased in South County. Brainstorm with successful fair and festival planners what’s worked for their events and incorporate those ideas into the beleaguered event. Consider joining our neighbors to the south to present one strong agriculture-based event to county residents for the strong value of what it truly is.
