Fair’s finances are ‘better than expected,’ Kegebein says

Tarmo Hannula/Register-Pajaronian Jaimie Beckwith leads her Hampshire-cross market pig to a pen Monday in preparation for the Santa Cruz County Fair. PICTURE 2: Jessica Margo of the Corralitos 4-H Club is shown with a Hampshire-cross market pig. (Photos by Tarmo Hannula/Register-Pajaronian)

WATSONVILLE — Visitors are in for a treat at this year’s Santa Cruz County Fair and Horse Show, which starts today and runs through Sunday.

The first day is Seniors Day, which offers discount admission and a free ice-cream social for seniors 62 and up.

Kick-off events include the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau BBQ, English ale and berry tasting — both held in the Harvest Building — and live entertainment by the Mary Ellen Duo and Divas of the Decades, performing separately on the Amphitheater Stage.

In honor of this year’s theme, “Come See the Berry Best,” berries in all their glory will be showcased, from berries you can add to beer to make it sweet, to the fair’s first ever pie-eating contest on Friday night.

The “Berry Best” can also extend to the community support and hundreds of volunteers that helped put on the fair.

Dave Kegebein, Volunteer Management team leader for the fairgrounds, said the all-volunteer team that was put into place in January has “worked out really well,” and the volunteers have put a lot of time in to make it a success.

Back in July, the fairgrounds faced an uncertain future as the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Board of Directors discussed ways to mitigate loss of funding from the state and costs incurred from two separate lawsuits and deferred maintenance projects.

Kegebein said California’s whole fair industry is in turmoil due to the lack of state funding, but the financial situation at the fairgrounds has stabilized.

“We are doing better then projected,” Kegebein said, “The fair has brought out lots of support and new sponsors — which is critical for any community event.”

Gina Locatelli — chairwoman of the fair’s agriculture and horticulture department, which manages displays in the Harvest Building — said that donations to her department have doubled this year, with significant funding from county berry growers.

Seven berry growers in the county will be featured on a specially designed display, with each taking a turn showcasing 10 cases of fresh fruit each day of the fair.



For the complete article see the 09-11-2012 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 09-11-2012 paper.

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