“I had a 45-minute phone call,” about road bonds that Gherardi discussed while doing double-duty at the fairgrounds.“Part of our job as directors is making sure various aspects of the fair are working properly and it went very smoothly overall,” said Gherardi.According to official Ventura County Fair reports the last day - Sunday, Aug. 14 - of the event had the highest attendance with 36,656 people. Saturday, Aug. 13 also broke the 30,000 people attendance mark.The fair report notes that 304,820 people attended the 12-day fair.Carnival sales produced a record $1.57 million, a 10.14 percent increase over last year.The fair district expects to earn $2 million to $3 million in profit from this year’s fair, which annually generates about a third of Seaside Park’s $6.8 million operating budget.Throughout the year Seaside Park visitors come to the Derby Club for off-track horse race betting. The fairground also receives rental fees for special events that generate additional revenue for the fair district.
Annual Ventura County Fair sees overall increases
August 24, 2005
Santa Paula News
The 130th Annual Ventura County Fair ended Sunday and Seaside Park saw an overall increase from last year according to a fair official.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe 130th Annual Ventura County Fair ended Sunday and Seaside Park saw an overall increase from last year according to a fair official.“It was great, our attendance was more than 300,000, about 4,000 more than last year,” said Fair Director Ginger Gherardi of Santa Paula.The Fair Livestock Auction did even better with county 4-H and Future Farmers of America Fair members bringing in about $600,000, a whopping $100,000 increase over last year Gherardi noted.“It was a very successful fair, virtually no problems and plenty of positive comments about some of the changes,” including fair layout she added.Seaside Park, located practically on the beach in Ventura, offers a unique venue that features overall cooler weather that keeps August fairgoers comfortable no matter how frantic the pace to see and do everything.Gherardi is the executive director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission and attended the fair every afternoon and evening.But work even follows fair directors who have access to golf carts to better scout the fair.
