Home > About Us > Napa County Fair Association > Our History

Our History

1 of 2

1935

Originally incorporated on October 8, 1935, as a 501(c)(5) non-profit organization using the name "Calistoga Fair Association." Formed for the purpose of
  • stimulating and promoting better breeding of horses and livestock in Napa and Sonoma Counties in the area served by the US Post Office in Calistoga;
  • sponsoring, promoting, and conducting livestock and agricultural fairs, festivals, and exhibits of every description, also horse shows and horse races;
  • stimulating and promoting out of door sports of all descriptions, and promoting and conducting competition in all such sports;
  • organizing and sponsoring athletic teams of every description whatsoever;
  • advertising the area to the world at large;
  • leasing, purchasing, holding, having, using, and taking possession of and enjoying in fee simple or otherwise any personal or real property for the use and purposes of the corporation.

1945

First adoption of the Calistoga Fair Association Bylaws.

1969

Adoption of an amendment to the Bylaws changing the name to "Napa County Fair Association."

1971

The Association officially changed it's name to its present form, Napa County Fair Association, on February 10, 1971, with the State of California.

1972

The Association amended its Articles of Incorporation on August 2, 1972, to amend its purpose to:
  • stimulating and promoting better breeding of horses and livestock in Napa and Sonoma Counties in the area served by the US Post Office in Calistoga;
  • sponsoring, promoting, and conducting livestock and agricultural fairs, festivals, and exhibits of every description, also horse shows and horse races.

1986

Amendment to Bylaws.

1992

Amendment to Bylaws.

1996

Amendment to Bylaws.

2009

Amendment to Bylaws.

2010

Amendment to Bylaws.

2011

Amendment to Bylaws.

2012

The Association amended its Articles of Incorporation on September 21, 2012, to change its purpose to that of a Public Benefit Corporation with the intention of applying for 501(c)(3) charitable organization status (see Funding below). The Association is organized under the Nonprofit Public Benefit Law for public and charitable purposes to lessen the burden of government, and to further the education and science of agriculture. Specifically, The Association acts at the County of Napa's agent for the purposes of conducting the Napa County Fair and managing the County of Napa's fairground property for public purposes.
Our activities further our exempt purposes by lessening the burdens of government of the Napa County Board of Supervisors to provide their citizens with facilities for public use in pursuit of education, entertainment, recreation, community life, local economic support, and emergency response. In addition, we further our exempt purpose of agricultural education through our Napa County Fair activities, promoting agriculture through our statewide olive oil competition, local gardening and farming competitions and exhibits, and hands-on agricultural stations for children.

2013

New Bylaws. On June 14, 2013, the membership ratified the new Bylaws of the Napa County Fair Association.

2014

In 2014, the Association redefined the concept of a county fair from a single, multi-day event into a year-long, celebration of life in Napa Valley with three memorable events for our community: Calistoga’s annual 4 th of July fair, a summer celebration of our Hispanic community’s culture, and, ending the year with our dinner and cocktail party on New Year’s Eve. And in 2015 we’ll add even more celebrations, including our inaugural art festival and women’s mud run.
We invite you to join in the celebration of the quality of life in Napa Valley.

Funding

For nearly 75 years the Association enjoyed financial support from the State-wide partnership between the California horse racing industry and the network of California fairs under the California Department of Food & Agriculture's Division of Fairs and Expositions. As a result of the struggles of the California horse racing industry, the California network of fairs sought a new funding source to support its operations and for two years, beginning in 2010 and continuing through 2011, became part of the State of California's general fund. However, the entire California fair industry lost all support from the State's general fund in 2012 due to the dire straits of the State's economy and budget. For the Napa County Fair Association, this translated to a loss of nearly 20% of our operating revenues, revenues that supported capital improvements, major maintenance repairs, and community programs.

Since 2012 and the loss of major financial support from the State of California, our Board of Directors and membership have worked diligently to assess the Association's programs and operations, define its governance structure, and ensure our relevancy to the greater Napa County community. To that end, we have changed the underlying purpose and membership structure of the Napa County Fair Association. Today, the Association is a charitable, 501(c)(3), public-benefit membership organization, recognizing that it is every citizen of Napa County who benefits from our operations, programs, and services.
Now, more than ever, the Association is dependent on local community support for its operations and programs.We fund-raise on behalf of programming for all citizens of Napa County.
1970 Aerial View

1970 Aerial View

mid-1980s Aerial View

mid-1980s Aerial View

1995 Aerial View

1995 Aerial View

Back to
Top
Buy Tickets