Our Vision
Cultivate the Fairgrounds into a place where diverse cultures, and generations, gather to celebrate, connect, collaborate, and innovate.
Our Mission
Preserve, promote, and build the Santa Clara Fairgrounds to be the premiere, community-gathering-place for diverse communities, residents, businesses, corporations, and visitors of the Silicon Valley.
An Evolving Fairgrounds
The fairgrounds were purchased in 1940, the first Santa Clara County Fair took place in 1941, and San Jose was considered “in the country.” In the past, the Fair schedule was a two-week long experience with a packed schedule. At one point, it was the third largest in California. As the Valley of the Heart’s Delight has morphed into the Silicon Valley, the fairgrounds needs to continue to evolve in order to serve its diverse population.
Fairgrounds as a Diverse Community Asset
The Fairgrounds is not just for the Fair! People who enter the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds see it as an affordable location to hold celebratory events and gatherings. A variety of events are scheduled all year round. This unique facility provides an on-going, indoor/outdoor location for multiple community events with links to mass transit and available parking.
Year after year, the grounds are being used for diverse community events such as: The Vietnamese community holds Tet celebrations, the East Indian community holds several events, the Latino/Hispanic community holds Cinco de Mayo and September 16 events, and the Fairgrounds are home to well-attended events such as Demolition Derby, Dog Shows, Horse and Livestock events.
Today, the Fairgrounds Foundation seeks to take this cherished place and evolve it into a “Legacy of the Future” for residents and a destination showcase for Silicon Valley. The Foundation believes that every inch of the 150 acres (6.5m sq ft) should be dedicated to remaining a place where diverse cultures and generations gather to celebrate, connect, collaborate and create. We believe that if the Fairgrounds is lost through short-sightedness, narrow views or bad planning, the people of the County and the Valley lose more than a collection of buildings. We lose the connection of where we have been, who we are today and the future of what we can become. We cannot allow this happen. The Foundation supports the development of a master plan that preserves the Fairgrounds for public use. It is critical to leverage the community input to creation of an integrated property that serves the community as a whole.
The foundation is driving to a shared public and private reimagining of the Fairgrounds on a larger platform than a simple remodeling of simple structures. This larger vision is the creation of a place than can promote the valley as a welcoming home to diverse cultures and income levels, a place to do business and show case innovation that makes silicon valley a home with outstanding quality of life.
The Fairgrounds Heritage Foundation is actively working on fundraising efforts to maintain and rebuild this amazing asset. We are looking for both financial and volunteer support and hope you will join us on our journey to rebuild this community property.