Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation
Organization of the Year
The Fairgrounds Foundation was presented with the Organization of the Year Award by Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture at it’s 58th Annual Awards Dinner in February of 2020. Honored for its continued help with essential funding for the amazing and very unique Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, the foundation makes sure that our Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds and Fair are not only a very rare glimpses back into the past at what county fairs looked like, but also helps with the current up-to-date needs of the community.
The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation was founded in 2002 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Foundation with the mission to provide funding for maintenance and upgrades to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. It is vital to the maintenance and improvements to the Fairgrounds and is responsible for some major accomplishments, including the renovation of the Heritage Hall, an upgrade of the water system and installation of two 65,000 gallon water tanks to ensure the Fairgrounds has water for large events and when the grounds are used for disaster relief. This organization has also done the installation of 410 outdoor light fixtures, the renovation of the shop building, an upgrade of the Livestock bathroom, construction of a large storage building, 110 new benches on the grounds, installation of yards and yards (and yards!) of paving and concrete and the purchase of maintenance equipment.
Over it’s lifetime, the Foundation has given the Fairgrounds more than $3,500,000 for projects. As California State funding has diminished, the Foundation donations to the Fairgrounds have increased.
