Administrative History
The Santa Clara County Fairgrounds has held the annual county fair since 1941. While a fair was held in San Jose during the late nineteenth century, Santa Clara County did not have a fair during the early 1900s, despite the county's prominence in agriculture and livestock. Therefore the Santa Clara Valley Fair Association was created in 1937 in order to create a fair. On October 28, 1940 the County Board of Supervisors purchased the 97 acre Macomber Ranch on Tully Road for $35,000 from H. Kirk Macomber. On March 12, 1941 the County authorized the renamed Santa Clara County Fair Association to run the fair.
The first fair was held October 7th through 12th in 1941. The next fair was not held until 1946 due to World War II. A fair has been held annually since then. The annual fair included horse and car racing, carnival rides, an exposition hall, livestock, displays of flowers and agriculture, arts and crafts, live entertainment, merchant displays, and competitions of all sorts. Over the years building were added, such as horse barns, the sheep and swine building, the rabbit and poultry building, administrative buildings, the Exposition Hall, the Pavilion Building, a large blue arch over the entrance to the fairgrounds, a reproduction of the original capital building, grandstands, and arenas. The "Cheery Farmer" became the mascot, and the official slogan was "Hi, Neighbor!"
While the Fairgrounds have shrunk in size since its heyday, and the horse track and many of the buildings no longer exist, the Fairgrounds still hosts an annual fair and many events year round. The Exposition Hall and Pavilion Hall still stand, and the Fairgrounds now has an off-track betting parlor. The Fairgrounds is currently run by the Fairgrounds Management Corporation.
From the guide to the County Fairgrounds collection, 1939-2009, (Santa Clara County Archives.)
