Santa Clara County Fair Date Change Upsets Youth Farmers

The annual fair is moving from July to August, disrupting youth livestock programs and their plans.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 3:55pm

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The Santa Clara County Fair is changing its traditional July dates to August 19-23 to accommodate vendor schedules, but this is causing major issues for local youth farmers. Many have already purchased and cared for livestock to show at the fair, and the new August dates conflict with the start of the school year. Parents say the change will affect their children's ability to complete their farmer degrees and will add financial burdens to continue caring for the animals. Fair officials have also suggested solutions that parents say are unacceptable, like withholding food from the animals.

Why it matters

The Santa Clara County Fair is a longstanding tradition that showcases the region's agricultural heritage and supports youth development through programs like Future Farmers of America. The date change disrupts these important community ties and educational opportunities, potentially impacting the future of local food production.

The details

The fair is moving from its traditional July dates to August 19-23 to accommodate changes in vendor schedules after the pandemic. This forces youth farmers, some of whom will be starting college, to balance their livestock show participation with the start of the school year. Parents say the date change will affect their children's ability to complete farmer degrees and will add weeks of financial burden to continue caring for the animals. Fair officials have suggested solutions like withholding food from the animals, which parents say is unacceptable and goes against best practices for livestock care.

  • The fair date change was announced in December 2025, months after youth farmers had already purchased and begun caring for their livestock.
  • The Santa Clara County Fair will now be held August 19-23, 2026, instead of its traditional July dates.

The players

Santa Clara County Fairgrounds

The organization that runs the annual Santa Clara County Fair.

Meghan Davies

A parent of three Gilroy High School students in the FFA program.

Salene Duarte

The manager of the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.

Monica Simon

A former FFA member whose child is now in the program in Morgan Hill.

James Cooper

A parent with a child in a Gilroy FFA student program.

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What they’re saying

“It goes against everything that the Future Farmers of America and raising livestock stands for.”

— Meghan Davies, parent of three Gilroy High School students in the FFA program (San José Spotlight)

“I think we need to look at these animals as athletes. We are raising these animals to be a safe, wholesome and nutritious product for their consumer.”

— Salene Duarte, manager of the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds (San José Spotlight)

“Any veterinarian would tell you that's not ideal. And it's not ideal for us to have to encourage our youth to do that.”

— Monica Simon, former FFA member whose child is now in the program in Morgan Hill (San José Spotlight)

“Moving the fair to when kids are at school and parents are back to work will impact attendance. People don't realize how hard people are working — especially in California — to provide food for our nation. These FFA students are our future. It's just sad to see something like this happen.”

— James Cooper, parent with a child in a Gilroy FFA student program (San José Spotlight)

What’s next

Fair officials have said the livestock shows will start at 4 p.m. after school ends, with younger exhibitors going first, but parents say this adjustment is not helpful as the animals will still require care during the school day.

The takeaway

This date change for the Santa Clara County Fair undermines the important role it plays in supporting youth agricultural education and development, potentially impacting the future of local food production. It highlights the need for better communication and consideration of the impacts on farming families when making scheduling decisions for community events.