It was great to gather with so many fair friends and family at WFA Fired Up 2016. Visit the Convention wrap website for fun photos and access to presentation materials.
WFA at IAFE
We had a great time visiting Las Vegas for the International Association of Fairs & Expositions Convention. Here are some highlights:
Newly-elected IAFE President Marla Calico receives congratulations while stopping by the WFA Board of Directors meeting in Las Vegas. She officially begins Jan. 1, 2016. Jim Tucker, current IAFE President, will be featured as the opening keynote at WFA Convention to talk about his unique time in the industry.
Meet Your Barham Award Winner


WFA will recognize the Branders and other award winners at the Industry Awards Celebration on Tuesday, January 5th, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
Hall of Fame 2015: George Soares

Hall of Fame 2015: Tim Fennell

Make Your Voice Heard with Committee Service
- Professional Development
- Curates educational content and programming for Convention.
- Leadership Development
- Supports current industry leaders and the development of future leaders.
- Industry Standards
- Develops and maintains industry-wide codes of conduct.
- Showcase Committee
- Helps in the selection of Showcase entertainment.
- Achievement Awards
- Recognizes excellence in the industry.
- Blue Ribbon Development Team
- Through various channels including raffles and the Blue Ribbon Foundation Auction and Silent Auction (donate an item here!), the development team assists WFA’s non-profit arm to offer Convention internships to students interested in the fair business, college scholarships to children in fair industry families, and bringing compelling educational programming including the WFA Convention Keynote.
Which one (or several) sounds like a good fit for you?
Email incoming WFA President Barbara Quaid of Ventura County Fair or WFA’s Liz Waxstein with your request to join or remain on a committee. Additionally, committees will meet at Convention on Tuesday, January 5, 5:15 – 6 p.m. to report on the past year’s work and plan for the future. Stop by to learn more about specific committees and get more information about participating.
Support the Blue Ribbon Foundation
You may have seen this form in the last couple issues of the Fair Dealer. Your support with items and experiences is invaluable in creating exciting auction offerings.
Some of the great donations we’ve already received include limited edition fine art prints, an opportunity to spend the afternoon at Pacific Animal Productions Ranch with Karla Majewski and the ‘girls’ Lily and MoJo, and a one-of-a-kind Mickey Mouse painting by L.A.-native and Sacramento transplant David Garibaldi, who has been featured on America’s Got Talent.
Continue to help us grow the auction by donating online here or sending in this form! Your donations help the Blue Ribbon Foundation provide educational scholarships for fair industry families, bring interns to WFA Convention, and provide incredible keynotes and informative sessions at events each year. The Silent Auction and the WFA Convention Live Auction are the largest fundraisers to champion year-round BRF programs.
We appreciate your generous support of the industry.
Service Member Alert – WFA Board Election Opportunity
Western Fairs offers Service Members several important service opportunities including service as a member of the WFA Board of Directors. WFA Directors serve three-year terms and, as a Board, oversee all of the association’s programs and services. The WFA Board meets 3-4 times a year, often by conference call with limited travel expense reimbursement funds available, and participates in monthly conference calls for executive director updates from WFA.
Interested in service as a WFA Director?
There is an open seat and the attached form will guide you through the process. Simple version? You must be a current member and, not from the Entertainment Division (the two seated Directors, Ken McMeans & Karla Majewski – are Entertainment Division members; let’s share the power!). Use the attached form to recruit 3 members to nominate you and you’re in the running!
Nominations close November 10. If there is more than one nominee, a mail ballot will be sent to all Service Members and will be due back November 30.
Openings in Service Member Divisions
WFA also elects leaders for each of our five Service Member Divisions. This year, the following division seats are up.
- Entertainment
- Carnival
Interested?
The process is very similar. Complete and submit this form to make your nomination known. Nominations are due by November 10 and, should it go to a mail-in vote, ballots will be due by November 30.
Celebrating You: 2015 Merrill Recipient
The Big Fresno Fair got a big surprise this morning in the form of WFA Exec. Dir. Stephen Chambers stopping by with cookies and a banner to congratulate the fair on being a Merrill Award Recipient. Deputy GM Stacy Rianda and CEO John Alkire posed for a photo with their Merrill banner.
We stopped by The Big Fresno Fair museum and spotted the WFA booth, too. Check it out!