Nevada County Fairgrounds Wins Fair Industry’s Prestigious Merrill Award

February 1, 2017 |

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 23, 2017

Contact:     Robin Hauck, Deputy Manager
(530) 273-6217;

Nevada County Fairgrounds Wins Fair Industry’s Prestigious Merrill Award

The Nevada County Fairgrounds has been selected as the recipient of the Western Fairs Association’s (WFA) prestigious Merrill Award for its Community Involvement Day. WFA made the announcement in Reno on Wednesday at its annual convention, where more than 1,000 Fair CEOs, directors, staff, delegates and Fair-related professionals from throughout the Western United States attend to celebrate the industry and its accomplishments in 2016.

The Merrill Award, named in honor of WFA founder Louis Merrill, is the highest honor a Fairgrounds can receive, and is given to a program that demonstrates innovation, vision, and excellence.

“To receive this award is truly an honor for the Fairgrounds, the community, and the organizations who shared the passion and goal of Community Involvement Day,” said Rea Callender, CEO of the Nevada County Fairgrounds. “We’re proud of this community program, and we’re so pleased that the industry recognized its impact and importance.  Special recognition goes to Robin Hauck, Deputy Manager at the Fairgrounds, for her vision of this program.”

After years of incorporating community giving into the Fair lineup, the Nevada County Fairgrounds decided to further showcase community nonprofit organizations by providing a separate Community Involvement Day. By creating a special donation opportunity, a week prior to the Fair, the Fairgrounds connected the community directly with local nonprofits. The first Community Involvement Day was held in 2014 as a day to donate items to nonprofit organizations, while also receiving discounted admission tickets to the Fair.  The Food Bank of Nevada County, Foothill Lions, Nevada County 2-1-1, NEO Youth Center, BloodSource, Story Club, and the Domestic Violence Coalition are among the charities who have participated in Community Involvement Day.

Through this program, 295 new blood donors have been registered, 254 pints of life saving blood have been collected, more than 1,700 books have been donated, 6,000 pounds of food have been donated to feed those in need, school supplies have been gathered for more than 100 families, and 1,198 glasses and 20 hearing aids have been donated to Foothill Lions.

In addition to receiving the Merrill Award, the Nevada County Fairgrounds received 15 WFA Achievement Awards, which recognize the best practices of Fairs in a variety of categories. The Nevada County Fairgrounds received recognition for its work in Ag-Sperience, digital advertising, social media, the Fairgrounds Foundation Speaker Series, Califia Café, and Treat Street shade.  

The 2017 Nevada County Fair, “Sea you at the Fair,” is August 9 – 13; and the 2017 Community Involvement Day will be held on July 31 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds.  

Merrill Award winners

Members of the Nevada County Fairgrounds team receive the Merrill Award, the industry’s highest honor for Fairgrounds. The Nevada County Fairgrounds received the award for its Community Involvement Day, a day held prior to the Fair each year to donate items to nonprofit organizations, while also receiving discounted admission tickets to the Fair. The Food Bank of Nevada County, Foothill Lions, Nevada County 2-1-1, NEO Youth Center, BloodSource, Story Club, Sierra Harvest, and the Domestic Violence Coalition are among the organizations that have participated in Community Involvement Day.

Tags: merrill award, Western Fairs Association, and WFA.

Nevada County Fairgrounds Wins Fair Industry’s Prestigious Merrill Award

January 23, 2017 |

The Nevada County Fairgrounds has been selected as the recipient of the Western Fairs Association’s (WFA) prestigious Merrill Award for its Community Involvement Day. WFA made the announcement in Reno on Wednesday at its annual convention, where more than 1,000 Fair CEOs, directors, staff, delegates and Fair-related professionals from throughout the Western United States attend to celebrate the industry and its accomplishments in 2016.

The Merrill Award, named in honor of WFA founder Louis Merrill, is the highest honor a Fairgrounds can receive, and is given to a program that demonstrates innovation, vision, and excellence.

“To receive this award is truly an honor for the Fairgrounds, the community, and the organizations who shared the passion and goal of Community Involvement Day,” said Rea Callender, CEO of the Nevada County Fairgrounds. “We’re proud of this community program, and we’re so pleased that the industry recognized its impact and importance.  Special recognition goes to Robin Hauck, Deputy Manager at the Fairgrounds, for her vision of this program.”

After years of incorporating community giving into the Fair lineup, the Nevada County Fairgrounds decided to further showcase community nonprofit organizations by providing a separate Community Involvement Day. By creating a special donation opportunity, a week prior to the Fair, the Fairgrounds connected the community directly with local nonprofits. The first Community Involvement Day was held in 2014 as a day to donate items to nonprofit organizations, while also receiving discounted admission tickets to the Fair.  The Food Bank of Nevada County, Foothill Lions, Nevada County 2-1-1, NEO Youth Center, BloodSource, Story Club, and the Domestic Violence Coalition are among the charities who have participated in Community Involvement Day.

Through this program, 295 new blood donors have been registered, 254 pints of life saving blood have been collected, more than 1,700 books have been donated, 6,000 pounds of food have been donated to feed those in need, school supplies have been gathered for more than 100 families, and 1,198 glasses and 20 hearing aids have been donated to Foothill Lions.

In addition to receiving the Merrill Award, the Nevada County Fairgrounds received 15 WFA Achievement Awards, which recognize the best practices of Fairs in a variety of categories. The Nevada County Fairgrounds received recognition for its work in Ag-Sperience, digital advertising, social media, the Fairgrounds Foundation Speaker Series, Califia Café, and Treat Street shade.  

The 2017 Nevada County Fair, “Sea you at the Fair,” is August 9 – 13; and the 2017 Community Involvement Day will be held on July 31 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds.  

Merrill Award winners

Categories: Announcements, Nevada County Fair, and Nevada County Fairgrounds.
Tags: BloodSource, community involvement day, Domestic Violence Coalition, Fairgrounds, Food Bank of Nevada County, Foothill Lions Club, merrill award, NEO, Nevada County, Nevada County 211, Story Club, Western Fairs Association, and WFA.

Bill Mitchell Receives 2014 Blue Ribbon Award

August 12, 2014 |

Bill Mitchell was recently named the 2014 Blue Ribbon Award recipient by the Nevada County Fairgrounds Board of Directors. The award was created by the Fair’s industry association, the Western Fairs Association (WFA), to recognize dedicated individuals who support their local Fair and continuously contribute to the quality of the Fair. Bill was recognized for his key role with the exhibit crew, as well as his ongoing volunteer efforts at the Fair.

After retiring from the Grass Valley School District – where he worked for 37 years as a band teacher at Lyman Gilmore, Hennessy and Scotten schools – Bill joined the exhibit crew at the Fairgrounds in 2005. It was his inspiration that created the signage at the street corner near the Gentle Giant monument, as well as the poster signs at the gates during the Fair, and the Highway 20 billboard. It was also through Bill’s efforts that the Prop Shop was organized, and, consequently, has saved the Fair significant dollars in labor. Additionally, he lends a huge hand in setting up for the Country Christmas Faire.

While Bill retired from the Fairgrounds in 2012, even in “retirement,” he continues to actively participate at the Fair – putting up signage, displaying banners, puttering in the Prop Shop, assisting with the Country Christmas Faire, and cooking at the Foundation’s annual Cioppino Feed.

Bill, who has lived in Nevada County since 1969, has been married to his wife, Karen, for 46 years. They have two children, Tom and Jennifer, and one grandson, Adler. Bill is active in the Foothill Lions Club, and enjoys spending time with his grandson.

“The Nevada County Fair is special to everyone,” says Bill. “Karen and I and our children, and now our grandson, have spent countless hours enjoying the Fair. It takes a lot of people to put together the events at the Fairgrounds, and I definitely don’t feel I deserve this award any more than any of the other people who put in countless hours to make these events successful. I am humbled and honored.”

“Bill is a wonderful person, and a true asset to our Fairgrounds,” said Sandy Woods, CEO of the Nevada County Fairgrounds. “He has a big heart and a passion for the Fair, and it is with great pride that he receives this industry award.”

Bill was recognized in a surprise presentation at the Nevada County Fair’s Opening Ceremonies on Wednesday, August 6.

Bill Mitchell (2015)

Categories: Announcements and Nevada County Fair.
Tags: 2014 Nevada County Fair, Bill Mitchell, blue ribbon award, Nevada County Fair, Western Fairs Association, and WFA.

Fairgrounds Receives Numerous Industry Awards

February 17, 2010 |


The Nevada County Fairgrounds received 25 awards at the 47th Annual Western Fairs Association’s (WFA) Achievement Awards held in Reno, Nevada, at the end of last month. The Nevada County Fairgrounds took home first-place honors for the Fair video created by Gold in the Foothills; its 2009 Draft Horse Classic event and several of its promotional pieces; and its “Ugliest Dang Cake” exhibit competition. It also received first place in the Fair featured program, Social Media Madness, for its work in social media.

During this year’s WFA Achievement Awards Program, offered to recognize excellence and to share fair ideas and programs, the Nevada County Fairgrounds competed against more than 50 Fairs with similar attendance numbers within the Western United States and Canada. At the WFA Achievement Awards Ceremony, the Nevada County Fairgrounds collected a total of seven 1st place awards, 11 2nd place, and seven third place. The Fairgrounds also received nine Honorable Mention awards.

Among the many awards received, the Fairgrounds received second place for the Fair’s “Name the Rabbit” contest; third place for its community outreach program with the Fairgrounds’ Job Fair; second place for its overall marketing program; third place for the Fair’s Kids Corner; and second place for its work with nursery schools and pre-schools in decorating theme-related cut-outs.

The Western Fairs Association is a non-profit trade association serving the Fair industry throughout the Western United States and Canada.

To view the winning Fair video, visit www.GoldintheFoothills.com or www.NevadaCountyFair.com. With a theme of “Rooted in Tree-dition,” the 2010 Nevada County Fair is August 11 – 15.

Categories: Nevada County Fair and Nevada County Fairgrounds.
Tags: awards, Gold in the Foothills, video, and WFA.