Sent by Gwen Clayton
Back in 2011, I wrote a blog for the Amador Music Hub (no longer available online) about California Governor Jerry Brown (with help from the Assembly and Senate) dealing a harsh blow to county fairs when he signed Assembly Bill 95 (AB95). The bill completely eliminated funding for the California fair network, leaving more than 30 fairs, including Amador's, threatened with closure.
Funding for the fair has always come from State funds generated by horse-racing activities as well as local donations of property, cash and talent. With the horse-racing funds depleted, the State has now cut all support for county fairs. This leaves local residents with the responsibility to accommodate for the $220,000 shortfall.
Normally, this would be not be a problem, as Amadorians are rather adept at pulling together and getting things done without the need of assistance, but when the State cut its funding, it didn't cut the expensive mandates (the state still regulates county fairs). For Amador, this means we cannot use volunteer labor or donated materials for certain things, and we still have reporting requirements that cost staff hours and office supplies for which we don't get reimbursed.
The Amador County Fair has been the single biggest local cultural event since 1938. It brings together everything that is right about our county - agriculture, music, art, food and wine - plus there's the carnival rides, Frontier Town, the saw mill, Miwok Village and of course, the great carnie food (you gotta get a steak sandwich from Plymouth Rotary or a BBQ tri tip from Incahoots). There's the rodeo, tractor pulls, and demolition derby in Bennie Brown Arena at night too. Live music can be heard on three different stages from noon until closing. And we can't forget the Miss Amador pageant.
This four day event at the end of July every year brings in $3.5 million in spending activity for the region, $29,000 in business-tax revenue, $110,000 for local non-profit groups, and $1.3 million in jobs for local residents.
In 2011 and 2012, I helped put on a fundraiser called Fair Aid to help raise funds to save this important cultural resource. We're no longer doing that event, but on Valentine's Day, you can attend a The 7th Annual Love-A-Fair Ball. The special dinner dance will be held Saturday, February 14, 2015 at St. Katherine Drexel Church in Martell. Tickets are $100 per person or $1,000 for a Corporate Sponsorship, which includes a reserved table for 8 people, and your organization/company name clearly displayed on the table as well as noted in their brochure. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres start at6 pm. Dinner is served at 7:30 pm. Festivities include a no host bar, silent and live auctions, a catered sit down dinner, live music by Wasted Space (I believe this is Mike Roser's band; he's the winemaker for Cooper. They are a lot of fun to dance to).
This event is hosted by the Amador County Fair Foundation. All proceeds benefit the Amador County Fairgrounds.
Funding for the fair has always come from State funds generated by horse-racing activities as well as local donations of property, cash and talent. With the horse-racing funds depleted, the State has now cut all support for county fairs. This leaves local residents with the responsibility to accommodate for the $220,000 shortfall.
Normally, this would be not be a problem, as Amadorians are rather adept at pulling together and getting things done without the need of assistance, but when the State cut its funding, it didn't cut the expensive mandates (the state still regulates county fairs). For Amador, this means we cannot use volunteer labor or donated materials for certain things, and we still have reporting requirements that cost staff hours and office supplies for which we don't get reimbursed.
The Amador County Fair has been the single biggest local cultural event since 1938. It brings together everything that is right about our county - agriculture, music, art, food and wine - plus there's the carnival rides, Frontier Town, the saw mill, Miwok Village and of course, the great carnie food (you gotta get a steak sandwich from Plymouth Rotary or a BBQ tri tip from Incahoots). There's the rodeo, tractor pulls, and demolition derby in Bennie Brown Arena at night too. Live music can be heard on three different stages from noon until closing. And we can't forget the Miss Amador pageant.
This four day event at the end of July every year brings in $3.5 million in spending activity for the region, $29,000 in business-tax revenue, $110,000 for local non-profit groups, and $1.3 million in jobs for local residents.
In 2011 and 2012, I helped put on a fundraiser called Fair Aid to help raise funds to save this important cultural resource. We're no longer doing that event, but on Valentine's Day, you can attend a The 7th Annual Love-A-Fair Ball. The special dinner dance will be held Saturday, February 14, 2015 at St. Katherine Drexel Church in Martell. Tickets are $100 per person or $1,000 for a Corporate Sponsorship, which includes a reserved table for 8 people, and your organization/company name clearly displayed on the table as well as noted in their brochure. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres start at6 pm. Dinner is served at 7:30 pm. Festivities include a no host bar, silent and live auctions, a catered sit down dinner, live music by Wasted Space (I believe this is Mike Roser's band; he's the winemaker for Cooper. They are a lot of fun to dance to).
This event is hosted by the Amador County Fair Foundation. All proceeds benefit the Amador County Fairgrounds.
For more information and to purchase tickets, contact Ray Ryan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (209) 304-5220. Tickets can also be purchased online at : http://amadorfairfoundation.org/events.html
