10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY January 4-10, 2024 www.montereycountyweekly.com At 88 years old, the Monterey County Fair and Event Center in Monterey has seen a lot of history. Fairs, of course, but also major national and international musical and cultural events —think Jimi Hendrix and other greats performing at the 1967 Monterey International Pop Music Festival and the long list of renowned jazz artists at the Monterey Jazz Festival. It’s also the site of personal life events like weddings, quinceañeras and anniversary parties. “Our event calendar is quite busy, which is great because that’s what keeps us afloat,” says Kelly Violini, CEO of the Fair. Rentals are the bread and butter of the fairgrounds, but that means wear and tear on aging facilities. Bringing in the possibility of creating more revenue while simultaneously upgrading the grounds prompted the Monterey County Fair Board and the fair’s Heritage Foundation to plan for a new 3,150-square-foot enclosed barn that will not only serve as home to beef and dairy cattle during the fair every Labor Day weekend, but also as a small yearround event center with an attached 1,000-square-foot patio and barbecue area. Last fall, the foundation launched a $1 million capital campaign to finance the barn that’s expected to cost about half that amount for construction. The other half is earmarked for renovating restrooms attached to the Monterey Room, at the western end of the fairgrounds, built in 1965. Other structures are also in need of renovation, but it’s an ongoing financial challenge. “It’s a 22-acre aging property. The State of California—even though it owns the property—we don’t receive any funds to make the improvements that are needed,” Violini says. During a budget shortfall in 2011, then-Gov. Jerry Brown eliminated all funding to fairgrounds throughout the state, at the time just $32 million out of a $120 billion budget. It forced fair boards to form foundations to raise money to replace what the state removed and has not replaced. The Monterey County Fair Board, an eight-member body appointed by the governor, has a list of priority improvements, “but there are things that get in the way, emergency things like broken water lines, the things that aren’t very pretty,” Violini says. Another priority is upgrading the central Payton Stage. “And then the big dog is the Pattee Arena for a full renovation, anywhere from $5 million to $10 million,” Violini adds. The Fair and Jazz Festival partnered together to win grant money which paid for a research study outlining all needed improvements, including the arena, home to the festival’s Jimmy Lyons Stage. Violini says they plan on working together this spring to write more grants for renovations. As of Dec. 31, the foundation had raised approximately $312,500 of the $1 million goal. It’s enough to move forward with the barn plans, Violini says. They are waiting on approval from the state by the end of January and construction could be completed by May 1. They’re hoping to renovate the restrooms by the end of 2024. Barn Raising The Monterey County Fair Board is seeking $1 million for a new cattle barn and restrooms. By Pam Marino Kelly Violini, CEO of the Monterey County Fair, stands where a new barn is proposed. It will replace old pole barns that were removed in 2019, near the eastern end of the fairgrounds. NEWS “Our event calendar is what keeps us afloat.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Our Mission: “To educate all children toward becoming conscientious, compassionate, and responsible citizens of the world.” APPLY NOW! ISM invites ALL families to apply now for the 2024–2025 school year. 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