Meet You At The Hospitality Tent

This year’s Friends of Merced County Fair Hospitality Tent will feature the best of previous years - great food, free-flowing libations and lots of great conversation. So be sure to renew your membership or join Friends so you don't miss this fantastic perk.

Bring your friends to join us, and learn more about our goals and progress. We’ll be open during the Fair from 5 - 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, behind the Livestock Office. You can also sign people up at the tent, pick up Buyer's Recogntion Cards for the Junior Livestock Sale, and share any ideas you have about raising money or improving our fairgrounds. Hope to see you there!

Bucks for the Barn

Bucks for the Barn is a new fundraising effort that engages 4-H and FFA students to help raise money for the new Big Barn. Every Merced County 4-H and FFA group is invited to send ambassadors to a dessert reception on Monday, April 12, at 7 p.m. at the Merced County Fairgrounds El Capitan Lodge (formerly the Directors building or “rock house”). Ambassadors will learn about the project and also get containers to distribute to their members. Donation containers must be returned to the fairground the week of May 17 – 21 to count towards prizes. There are prizes for both the top clubs and individuals who contribute the most money.

Drop your “bucks” into a container to help build the barn. For more information about Bucks for the Barn, please contact co-chairs Amanda Skidmore, or Andrew Skidmore (phone 358-8552), or Tess Schoonhoven (phone 357-3471).

Give Buyer’s Recognition Cards for Junior Livestock Sale

Many of the buyers at last year’s Merced County Fair Junior Livestock Auction were shown appreciation with little “thank you” cards instead of the typical gift basket. And the buyers all said they couldn’t be happier to take home less “stuff” and give back more to our youth. They’d rather see the money go to something the community really needs - a new barn for our 4H and FFA programs to use - instead of the usual gift baskets and such. Last year, over 100 participants, added several thousand dollars directly to the barn-building fund — plus gave a big boost in enthusiasm and awareness to Friends of Merced County Fair.