Information on:

Santa Cruz County Fair

Santa Cruz County Fair
2601 East Lake Avenue
831-724-5671

Fairgrounds History

Long ago - 1885 or 1887 depending on which historian is reminiscing - home-loving and farm-loving Santa Cruz County citizens combined their first efforts to produce what has become Santa Cruz County Fair and Horse Show. This elaborate fair since 1941 has been at its present location along Hecker Pass Road (the present East Lake Avenue). The first agricultural county fair opened on October 16th in Folger's Skating Rink, near the plaza in the center of Watsonville. Over the stage, spelled out in letters formed of apples, was the sign "Pajaro Valley Products"

Numerous farm exhibits displayed the reasons why Santa Cruz County, even then was one of the most famous agricultural counties in the West: Bountiful food products, livestock, poultry, birds, flowers and handiwork competing for attention with a horse show and entertainment. Sponsor of the fair was the newly-formed 14th District Agricultural Association, which continued in this role until 1903. For 27 years beginning in 1903, the fair continued under Santa Cruz County auspices, financed with county funds and private donations - and always organized with uncounted hours of volunteer work.

Beginning in 1910, the well-remembered Apple Annuals developed as a central part of the fairs, sometimes held in Watsonville's Civic Auditorium; other years in Santa Cruz and various parts of the county. At the first Apple Annual, California's Governor James N. Gillett made good his earlier promise to come to Watsonville if its citizens would bake him an apple pie. On October 9, 1910, they presented to him an apple pie three feet in diameter, with a wooden spoon big enough to do it justice.

Santa Cruz County Fair is not affiliated with AmericanTowns Media
Select a California town to find
the Best Things-To-Do and Places To Go around you
Los Angeles County
San Francisco County