County Fair reflects Marin community values – Marin Independent Journal
![County Fair reflects Marin community values – Marin Independent Journal County Fair reflects Marin community values – Marin Independent Journal](https://www.marinij.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MIJ-L-SUPES-D4-0125-10.jpg?w=1024&h=824)
![Dennis Rodoni, candidate for the 4th District of the Marin County Board of Supervisors in San Rafael, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)](https://i0.wp.com/www.marinij.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MIJ-L-SUPES-D4-0125-10.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1)
The Marin County Board of Supervisors invites you to attend the award-winning Marin County Fair, open now through Sunday.
The Marin County Fair is an annual celebration of our vibrant community, attracting more than 120,000 visitors. The fair is fun for all and includes rides, film festival screenings, on-site entertainment, community stage productions, a farm and petting zoo, an art and food exhibit hall, concerts and fireworks.
The fair has a rich history, dating back to 1879, when the Marin County Journal newspaper mentioned W.T. Coleman’s plans for a fairgrounds and race track. The first Marin County Fair and Harvest Festival were held in 1925. They were discontinued after four years. In 1946, the fair began again at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross. In 1956, the county purchased 140 acres to build the Civic Center campus in San Rafael. By 1971, the site was ready to host the first Marin County Fair. For more than 50 years, the people of Marin have enjoyed the fair at its current location, set against the backdrop of Marin’s rolling hills.
Each year, the fair continues to grow and adapt, reflecting Marin’s values of art, agriculture, the environment, and connection to our community. Since 2008, the Marin County Fair has set the standard for sustainability, being named the healthiest and greenest county fair in the world. Today, the fair proudly showcases a carousel and stage, both powered by solar energy, as well as an impressive 92% waste diversion rate. The fair will also see the first wind turbine installed at a fairground in California, with the demonstration project of a vertical turbine without a propeller outside the entrance of the Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium. It also offers a variety of fresh and healthy food options, non-alcoholic sponsorships, and a smoke-free and inclusive environment for everyone to enjoy.
You can help keep the fair green by riding the free Marin Transit to the fairgrounds, taking the SMART train, or riding your bike and using the bike parking service.
On Wednesday, I officially opened the fair with the annual ribbon cutting. I look forward to visiting the information and education booths of our local nonprofits and county agencies at the fair. I also enjoy going to the exhibit hall to see the creativity of our communities, from the contributions of youth to the contributions in the areas of fine arts, photography, crafts, and clothing and textiles.
I am grateful each year to see the county’s rich agricultural heritage at the Barnyard. Marin’s agricultural community continues to inspire and engage the next generation by providing information and resources about our local food sources and sustainability.
The Community Stage will feature local talent from across the Bay Area each day. On Friday, there will be family-friendly LGBTQ+ performances for Fair Pride Day, and on Sunday, the Community Stage will showcase Latinx artists all day long as part of Latin Heritage Day.
The concert lineup includes a roster of world-class bands. Opening night kicked off with En Vogue. Join Splashback Music Fest tonight, featuring fan favorites Forever Land, Petty Theft, Super Diamond and Tainted Love. Daya joins the bill on Friday and is followed on Saturday by eight-time Grammy and Emmy winner, musician, producer, activist and humanitarian Ziggy Marley. Closing out the fair’s festivities on Sunday is Grammy-winning, multi-platinum band Los Lonely Boys.
The fair is made possible each year by the dedicated team of officials led by Gabriella Calicchio and her team in the Department of Cultural Services along with Marin County Parks, Public Works, County Counsel, Risk Management, Sheriff and Fire, and partners from the City of San Rafael. This year I want to recognize the incredible effort of the Department of Public Works. The staff worked diligently to complete the parking lot in time for the fair.
Thank you to everyone who makes this event possible each year. I hope to see you at the show.
Marin Supervisor Dennis Rodoni represents District 4, which includes West Marin, Corte Madera, San Quentin Village, East Novato and West San Rafael, as well as parts of Mill Valley and Larkspur.