Alameda County Fairgrounds

What Alameda County Fairgrounds does

The Alameda County Fairgrounds is a 267-acre year-round event venue in Pleasanton, California, owned and operated by the Alameda County Agricultural Fair Association (ACAFA), a self-supporting nonprofit that receives no government tax funding. Its flagship product is the annual Alameda County Fair, an 18-day summer event drawing 500,000+ attendees with carnival rides, the Big O Tires Concert Series, agricultural exhibits, livestock competitions, and wine and food programming. The Fairgrounds hosts 300+ public and private events annually, including corporate events, trade shows, weddings, and seasonal attractions such as the Pirates of Emerson haunted experience and the Pleasanton Harvest Festival.

Revenue is generated through seven primary streams: Fair admission and ticket sales, season passes (annual subscription), venue rental and event services, sponsorship and advertising (with flagship partners Big O Tires and Safeway), the Fairpark RV Campground (166 sites), Pleasanton Off-Track Betting satellite wagering facility, and the Pleasanton Golf Center. Auxiliary facilities include a 600-stall equestrian center, the 8,000-sq-ft Marissa Hunt Agricultural Education Center for FFA/4-H youth, The Farm Project under development by the Fair Foundation, and Heritage House. Underlying technology is minimal: Saffire powers online ticketing, AccessiBe supports accessibility compliance, and a Hydrawise smart irrigation system manages landscape watering — there is no documented AI/ML capability. Distribution is direct via the alamedacountyfair.com website, box office, group sales, and on-site concessions, supplemented by partnerships with regional tourism (Visit Tri-Valley) and transit (BART). The organization employs 171 seasonal and year-round staff and is governed by a board under CEO Jerome Hoban, COO Angel Moore, and CFO Vivian Wu, with the Fair Foundation led by Executive Director Carissa Rivers.

Name

Alameda County Fairgrounds

Legal name

Alameda County Agricultural Fair Association

Website

https://alamedacountyfair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Alameda County Fairgrounds is a 267-acre nonprofit event venue in Pleasanton, CA, operating the 18-day annual Alameda County Fair (500,000+ attendees), 300+ year-round events, equestrian and agricultural facilities, RV park, off-track betting, and venue rentals serving Bay Area consumers, corporate clients, and youth agricultural programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Venue & Fairground Services

NAICS

Amusement and Theme Parks (71311), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (713990), Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (7139)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO), Amusement Parks (Regional/Local Ride Parks & Funfairs) (THAJAEAD), Amusement Parks & Theme Parks (THAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Event venue rental
• Annual fair operations
• Equestrian facilities
• Agricultural education
• Live entertainment events

Headquarters

HQ city

Pleasanton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Fair Admission and Tickets: Revenue from ticket sales for the annual Alameda County Fair, including general admission, carnival wristbands, concert tickets, and special event access. The Fair runs 18 days annually.
2. Season Passes: Season Passes and Premium Season Passes provide 18 days of access during the full run of Fair, offering repeat visit value.
3. Venue Rental and Event Services: Year-round revenue from hosting external promoters' events, corporate events, private parties, weddings, trade shows, and community gatherings. Revenue from vendors, food concessions, and booth space rentals.
4. Sponsorship and Advertising: Sponsorship revenue from major brands including Big O Tires (concert series naming), Safeway, Pepsi, and dozens of other corporate sponsors. Includes premium space partnerships and on-site signage.
5. RV Park and Campground: Fairpark RV Campground with up to 166 RV sites featuring full hookups, WiFi, general store and RV service center.
6. Pleasanton Off-Track Betting: Year-round satellite wagering facility inside Turf Club Café offering wagering on races from tracks across the country, weekly Happy Hour, California Lottery games, and Blue Devils Bingo.
7. Golf Operations: Revenue from Pleasanton Golf Center, a public nine-hole golf course and driving range.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Alameda County Fairgrounds operates a 267-acre year-round event venue in Pleasanton, California, hosting more than 300 public and private events annually. Its flagship offering is the annual 18-day Alameda County Fair featuring carnival rides, concerts, agricultural exhibits, food, and family entertainment, complemented by year-round venue rental, equestrian facilities, an RV campground, off-track betting, a public golf course, and agricultural education programs.

Product overview

The Alameda County Fairgrounds is a 267-acre year-round event center in Pleasanton, CA operated by the Alameda County Agricultural Fair Association (ACAFA), a nonprofit that hosts the annual Alameda County Fair alongside 300+ events annually. The venue operates multiple distinct products and facilities: the flagship annual Alameda County Fair (18+ day summer event with carnival, concerts, food, and competitions); event venue rental services offering indoor halls, outdoor lawns, and equestrian facilities accommodating 100 to 30,000+ guests; and auxiliary facilities including Pleasanton Equestrian Center (600 stalls), Fairpark RV Campground (166 sites), Pleasanton Off-Track Betting (year-round wagering), Pleasanton Golf Center (9-hole course), and Stable Cafe restaurant. Educational initiatives include the Marissa Hunt Agricultural Education Center and the developing Farm Project. Seasonal programming features the Big O Tires Concert Series, Wine Competition/Wine Fest, Harvest Festival, and Pirates of Emerson haunted attraction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alameda County Fair The flagship annual summer event featuring carnival rides, concerts, agricultural exhibitions, competitive events, fair food, and family entertainment across 18+ days, drawing more than 500,000 visitors.
• Event Venue Rental Year-round rental of the 267-acre facility featuring indoor halls, outdoor lawns, equestrian center, and flexible event spaces accommodating 100 to 30,000+ guests for festivals, corporate events, trade shows, and private gatherings.
• Pleasanton Equestrian Center Facility with 600 horse stalls, multiple arenas, and events including Gymkhana Playdates and Golden Gate Arabian Show.
• Fairpark RV Campground Two on-site RV parks accommodating up to 166 RVs with full hookups, WiFi, general store, and RV service center; executive sites expanded in 2024.
• Pleasanton Off-Track Betting Year-round satellite wagering facility inside Turf Club Cafe offering betting on races from tracks nationwide, California Lottery games, and Blue Devils Bingo.
• Pleasanton Golf Center Public nine-hole golf course and driving range located within the racetrack, accessible via tunnel from Pleasanton Avenue and open year-round even during the Fair.
• Marissa Hunt Agricultural Education Center 8,000 square foot facility housing approximately 80 animals, featuring classroom, animal wash rack, outdoor paddock, livestock scale, and restrooms for FFA and 4-H members.
• The Farm High-tech educational agricultural space under development by the Fair Foundation to teach students about modern agriculture and sustainability, featuring The Farmhouse building and The Safeway Barn.
• Big O Tires Concert Series Annual summer concert series featuring national touring artists performing at the fairgrounds amphitheater at 8:00 PM, included with Fair admission (free bleacher seats while supplies last).
• Wine Competition & Wine Fest Annual commercial and amateur wine competitions culminating in Wine Fest tastings, including the California Signature Wine Awards.
• Pleasanton Harvest Festival Annual fall arts and crafts festival featuring handmade goods from local vendors, held the weekend before Halloween.
• Pirates of Emerson Seasonal haunted attraction operating each October featuring multiple haunted houses, themed mazes, scare zones, escape rooms, and Halloween festivities.
• Stable Cafe On-site restaurant open Wednesday through Sunday mornings serving breakfast for guests and exhibitors near the horse barns.

Quantifiable outcome

• $312 million annual economic impact on local economy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Big O TiresflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerNaming sponsor of the Big O Tires Concert Series featuring major artists at the annual Fair. Concert series includes performances by The Beach Boys with John Stamos, Tower of Power, Flo Rida, Elle King, Boyz II Men, and others.
• SafewayflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor and naming partner for The Safeway Barn at The Farm educational complex. Partnership supports agricultural education and youth programs at the Fairgrounds.
• PepsicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBeverage sponsor for Fair events and concessions.
• Michelob UltracoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBeer sponsor including Michelob Ultra Zero variant.
• Mattress FirmcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHome furnishings sponsor for Fair events.
• IKEAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHome furnishings and décor sponsor; IKEA Plan and Order Point located in Pleasanton.
• Kristin Zierau, Safeway Northern California DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarketing partnership between Safeway and Fair; strengthens community connection and supports local traditions.
• Liesel Williams, Red & White ConcessionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-term concessions partner operating food stands; recipient of WFA Barham Award 2026.
• Carissa Rivers, Alameda County Fair FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation Executive Director leads capital project for high-tech agricultural education at The Farm.
• Alameda County FFA and 4-H ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth agricultural organizations utilizing the Marissa Hunt Agricultural Education Center for Junior Livestock Show preparation.
• Livermore Valley Wine CommunitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWine industry partner supporting wine competitions and Wine Garden at the Fair.
• Golden State RacingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorse racing operator bringing stakes races and live racing to the Stella Artois Grandstand.
• Visit Tri-ValleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization promoting Tri-Valley area including the Fairgrounds.
• Bartable (BART)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTransit partner; BART-accessible destination highlighted in visitor transportation options.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Visit Tri-Valley: Regional destination marketing organization that promotes the Tri-Valley area including the Fairgrounds. Listed as an existing GTM partner and ecosystem-level comparable rather than a direct competitor.
• Saffire (SaffireTix): Ticketing platform used by the Fairgrounds (alameda.saffire.com) for Fair admission and events. Ecosystem/technology peer relevant to Fairgrounds' digital ticketing and commerce stack.

Broad incumbents

• State Fair of Texas (Dallas): Operator of the State Fair of Texas, one of the largest state fairs in the U.S. Comparable at scale as a major annual fair with strong sponsorship model and year-round venue operations, though much larger and broader in scope.
• Minnesota State Fair: One of the largest state fairs in the U.S. with deep sponsorship revenue and year-round event venue operations on the State Fairgrounds. Comparable as a heritage fair organization with diversified revenue.

Direct peers

• Sonoma County Fairgrounds: Regional California county fairgrounds operating an annual fair and year-round event rentals, livestock/agricultural programs, and equestrian facilities. Comparable as a peer county-fair model.
• Del Mar Fairgrounds (San Diego County): San Diego County fairgrounds operating the San Diego County Fair plus year-round event hosting and satellite wagering. Comparable in scale, governance, and product mix to Alameda County Fairgrounds.
• OC Fair & Event Center (Costa Mesa): Operator of the Orange County Fair and a year-round event venue in Southern California. Directly comparable as a California county-affiliated fairground hosting a multi-week summer fair with concerts, livestock, and year-round venue rentals.
• Fairplex (Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona): Operator of the LA County Fair at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA. Directly comparable as a large California fairgrounds with annual fair, year-round event venue rental, and racetrack/equestrian facilities.
• Cal Expo (California State Fair): California State Fair operator in Sacramento with similar mix of annual fair, venue rental, and agricultural education programming. Comparable as a large-format public-affiliated fairgrounds in California.

Regional players

• Golden Gate Fields (Berkeley): Northern California horse racing venue with simulcast wagering — directly comparable to the Pleasanton OTB and historic racetrack operations at the Fairgrounds.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ACFair
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/acffairplay
• Facebookfacebook.com/alamedacountyfair
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alameda-county-fair
• Instagraminstagram.com/alamedacountyfair
• TikToktiktok.com/@alamedacountyfair?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alameda County Fairgrounds