How Long Has the Cloverdale Citrus Fair Been Held?

Updated

The Cloverdale Citrus Fair has been held for at least 134 editions, according to the fair's own website, which thanked the community for "making the 134th Cloverdale Citrus Fair a success." That makes it one of the longest-running fair traditions in California — and the site describes it as the "Home of the first fair in the State of California."

What the 134th Edition Tells You

The number 134 is the clearest, most current figure available from the fair's website. It refers to the most recently completed fair, not a future one. If you're trying to place the fair on a timeline, the practical takeaway is simple: this is a tradition measured in centuries of annual gatherings, not decades.

A few things follow from that:

  • It is an annual event. The count advances by one each year, so the edition number doubles as a rough calendar marker.
  • It has survived interruptions. Very few annual events reach a 134th running without skipping or adapting in some years, though the site does not detail which years, if any, were affected.
  • The count is the fair's own. The 134th figure comes directly from the fair's homepage, so it reflects how the organization itself numbers its history.

Why "First Fair in California" Matters

The site's heading — "Home of the first fair in the State of California" — is a claim about origin, not just longevity. It positions Cloverdale as the starting point for California's fair tradition, which is a different kind of distinction than simply being old.

For anyone researching the fair, these are two separate facts worth keeping apart:

Claim What it means Source
134th fair held The event has run for 134 editions Fair homepage
First fair in California Cloverdale hosted the state's earliest fair Fair homepage heading

The site does not state the year of that first fair, so if you need a specific founding date, that detail isn't available from the homepage alone.

More Than a Once-a-Year Event

The fair's own description frames it as "more than an annual celebration; it's a year-round home for community connection." The homepage also notes "118 Events held here since our last fair," suggesting the grounds or organization host activity between fairs as well.

That matters if your interest is in the fair as an institution rather than a single weekend: the 134-year history sits alongside an ongoing calendar of other events.

What the Site Doesn't Answer

The homepage confirms the 134th edition and the "first fair in California" claim, but it does not provide:

  • The founding year of the first fair
  • A full list of past fair dates or themes
  • Which years, if any, the fair was cancelled

For those specifics, you'd need to look beyond the homepage — past programs, local historical records, or the fair's own archives.

Bottom Line

If your question is "how long has it been held," the answer supported by the fair's website is 134 editions, with the organization describing itself as the home of California's first fair. That combination — a 134th running plus a claim to being the state's original fair — is the core of its historical identity.