The California Division of Fairs & Expositions and the Western Fairs Association’s Blue Ribbon Foundation are sponsoring an exciting pilot program designed to empower California Fairs to identify and develop projects to attract grant funding opportunities.

The Blue Ribbon Foundation’s “Funding for Fairs” program will provide four California Fairs (Class I – IV) with comprehensive grant writing services.  These services will include the identification and development of a program suitable for funding, targeting of potential funders, and the submission of a professional-quality proposal.

This unique program is designed to inspire and empower California Fairs to cultivate relationships, skills and projects attractive to grant programs in both the public and private sector.

The program, expected to last 18 months, will commence upon selection of the fairs to be assisted at the June 2008 Blue Ribbon Foundation Board meeting. For full application details click here.

Any qualifying Fairs with questions, or any Class V – VII fairs interested in grant consultation services offered through the Blue Ribbon Foundation, may contact Patrick Desmond, program administrator, at 530-468-2888 or email him at patdesmond@sisqtel.net.

The Western Fairs Association has been seeking talented staff to fill two key positions in our company. It was important to find just the right people for the Education Manager and Marketing Manager jobs, and our search has ended. Carrie Wright will take on the position of Education Manager, and Nichole Farley will become the new Marketing Manager. Carrie Wright has a fair industry background and has worked throughout Northern California for the past ten years. Her passion for agricultural education, enjoyment of the annual convention, and all things fair led her straight to us! Nichole Farley is graduating from Chico State this May and will hit the ground running on the first day of June. She is a former WFA intern and has worked with the California State Fair in marketing and sponsorships. Nichole has also been the Ag Day Coordinator for the past three years at Chico State.

“Carrie brings a strong fair background, and Nichole has the enthusiasm for sales and meeting planning that will help us continue to build our programs,” stated WFA Executive Director Stephen Chambers.

The 2008 Executive Development candidates have been selected and placed by the WFA Executive Development Committee. 2008 funding for the program was reduced; however, the committee was able to persuade the San Diego County Fair to bear the cost of a second candidate. David Byrum has begun his work at the Alameda County Fair. The Michigan native has a fair and business background and will head to the Big Fresno Fair after Alameda concludes. Fernando Arango has started his tour at the San Diego County Fair. Fernando recently completed a four-year stint as the manager of Fiestas Del Sol in Mexicali, Mexico. A dual citizen, Arango resides in El Centro and brings a unique cross-border perspective to his work with WFA.

For David and Fernando's contact information please visit our WFA staff page.

A documentary featuring the 2007 Fiestas Del Sol in Mexicali, Mexico is available to WFA members upon request. The documentary was produced by WFA Intern Chris Pickering during the 2007 Feature Fair Tour. Fiestas Del Sol is one of Mexico’s most successful fairs, drawing over 500,000 in attendance during its ten-day run in 2007. The 40-minute DVD gives viewers an overview of the fair, and is narrated by Fiestas Del Sol Chief Executive Fernando Arango Magaña. The documentary is free to WFA members. Contact Liz Waxstein at the WFA Office at (916) 927-3100 to order your copy!

Fair Dealer
Sping 2008