Merced County Fair junior livestock auction raises $1.4 million, setting new event record
The Merced County Fair made a grand return this year after a two-year hiatus, potentially drawing record-breaking crowds and raising an all-time high at livestock auctions, fair officials say.
Last week’s festivities commemorated 131 years of the Merced County Fair, but the first year back since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most aspects of the fair were canceled the last two summers, as the risk of spreading the highly contagious virus were deemed too high. Celebrations were limited to livestock shows aimed at keeping some aspect of the annual tradition alive amid the pandemic, as well as supporting the efforts of 4-H and FFA students.
Although official counts haven’t been tallied yet, Merced County Fair CEO Teresa Burrola told the Sun-Star that she’s confident attendance reached new heights last week.
“Our community was so excited,” Burrola said of the high turnout.
More than 70,000 people from Merced County and elsewhere typically attend the festivities, according to past counts. The fairgrounds were visibly more full this year than previous ones, and all shows were highly attended, Burrola said.
Also indicative of the fair’s big return was a record-breaking junior livestock auction of over $1.4 million — a significant leap from past years. The auction never before surpassed $1 million, Burrola said.
The two-year hiatus impacted the local economy by putting a serious dent in the estimated $23 million generated annually by the fair and its 220 interim events, according California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) estimates.
“This was great for our local economy and getting our business partners some business,” Burrola said of the fair’s return.
Also unique to this year’s celebration was California Department of Food and Agriculture Deputy Secretary Michael Flores’ visit.
Flores and his wife toured the Merced County Fair with Burrola. Afterward, Burrola said she was proud to hear that the local festivities were among the top five of all fairs Flores has attended statewide.
Putting on the five-day event was not without its challenges. As many employers have this year, the fair struggled against staffing shortages. Still, Burrola said staff worked hard to keep the fair clean, fun and functioning.
“Staff worked tirelessly trying to put this on. They stepped up in a big way,” Burrola said.
Even though festivities just ended, planning has already begun for next year. “(But) it’s kind of hard to beat this year,” Burrola said. ”Coming back like that, it’s just fantastic.”
This story was originally published June 16, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
