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LAKEPORT, Calif. — State officials on Monday announced a $1 million investment to address long-standing facility repairs and upgrades at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
“We've secured a million dollars that will be invested with the Lake County Fair that will allow the Fair Board to be able to get to work on some critical projects,” said Sen. Mike McGuire at the Sponsor Building of the Lake County Fairgrounds.
The funding will address “deferred maintenance” built up over the decades, McGuire said, including fixing leaky roofs, renovating bathrooms and rehabilitating the commercial kitchen.
Lake County Board of Supervisors Chair Eddie Crandell and supervisors Brad Rasmussen, Jessica Pyska and Bruno Sabatier attended the announcement event, along with Lakeport City Council members Stacey Mattina and Brandon Disney.
“It's not easy, especially since the money isn't always there for deferred maintenance, and they have been tenacious,” McGuire said of the Lake County Fair Board that has been pushing for funding. “They've been laser-focused on bringing positive change to the fairgrounds, and I want to say thank you to your board for stepping up time and time again.”
McGuire later told Lake County News that the funding comes from the state general fund. The dollars will flow to the Lake County Fairgrounds, which plans to go out to bid on the projects by mid-2026, with construction expected to begin by the end of the year.
“We're super excited to be able to go out to bid and see what we can do with this money. And we're so grateful,” said Lake County Fair Board President Traci Medina, reflecting on decades of pushing for these improvements. “It’s taken us 20 years to make this kind of a dent in anything."
Fair Board member Nara Dahlbacka told Lake County News that the fairgrounds’ funding needs predate her time on the board, and she has focused on communicating those needs to local, state and federal officials.
The board has applied for grants in the past, including a resilience grant a few years ago, but was not awarded funding. “The need hasn’t decreased,” Dahlbacka said.
About a month ago, “Sen. McGuire found money in the budget,” Dahlbacka said. “It was an awesome surprise.”
“This is so exciting, and it's about damn time,” McGuire said in a brief interview after the announcement, standing in the winter’s sunny breezes against the backdrop of the fairgrounds’ open race track, where green fields stretched beneath a clear blue sky.
Significance of $1 million for the community hub
“That money is going to go a long way,” said Lake County Fair Chief Executive Officer Drew Jacoby at the announcement event.
“And for me, it's not only about fixing the roofs — It's once that roof is fixed, all of a sudden this hall can be a warming center for the county. Once the kitchens are fixed here in Barty’s cafe, they can be a commercial kitchen,” Jacoby said.
Jacoby said food vendors have been asking monthly if there is a commercial kitchen they can use, and he hasn’t been able to say yes — until now.
He added that the state’s investment will help repair critical infrastructure, support long-term success for the facility and allow the fairgrounds to develop new projects.
“Today is about economic development,” McGuire added. “The more work that we do here at the fairgrounds, the better off.”
He also noted the role of the fairgrounds as the hub for evacuation during disasters such as wildfires.
“It just helps us to be that place that the community can come to and feel safe in the buildings,” Medina told Lake County News. “We're trying to get it back to the point where the community thinks of this as a place to have their events.”
Lake County Fair is one of the longest-running fairs in California, with the first fair held in 1880 in Lower Lake. In 1938, its governing body — the 49th District Agricultural Association, now commonly known as the Lake County Fair Board — was formed through the state Legislature.
In 1947, the board purchased the first piece of the current fairgrounds on Martin Street with $14,000 and held the first fair on the new site the following year.
Several key structures were added in the 1950s, including Lewis Hall and Barty’s Café in 1950 and the Little Theater in 1955 — all of which Sen. McGuire highlighted as priorities for upcoming repairs.
“Some of these buildings probably haven't had any major refreshments since they were built,” Medina of the Fair Board told Lake County News, referring to facilities built in the 1950s and 1960s.
“It’s very exciting,” she said, adding that it brings tears to the eyes “because it's such a blessing.”
Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at
