San Rafael, CA – In a significant move toward inclusivity, the Marin County Fair has established an ad hoc accessibility advisory committee that is embarking on a three-year plan to assure full disability access at Marin’s largest annual event. The committee’s mission is to make the Marin County Fair welcoming and accessible to all, fostering disability inclusion and a sense of belonging.
For Year 1 of the plan, the committee is creating an ADA Lounge at the Fair. The lounge is a designated quiet space for individuals with disabilities who need a break from sensory stimuli such as crowds or noise. The room is equipped with noise-cancelling headphones, comfortable furnishings, snacks, and specially trained volunteers who can provide advice on other accessibility offerings.
“The ADA Lounge is a space where people with disabilities and their families can go to take a break from the fair in a quiet and comfortable environment,” said Gabriella Calicchio, Director of the County of Marin’s Cultural Services Department, which operates the fair. “We have partnered with local nonprofit Make it Home Bay Area to furnish the lounge. We are thrilled to be able to offer this service as a first step to transforming our fair into an event that is accessible to everyone regardless of their disabilities.”
This initiative was spearheaded by Calicchio in collaboration with the County’s Disability Access Manager Laney Davidson and supported by the Marin County Board of Supervisors. The committee comprises Tim Park from Marin Ventures, Novato High School student and member of the Marin County Youth Commission Walt Novosardian, Ted Jackson from Marin Center for Independent Living, and Alicia Ncho-Oguie, Co-Chair of Dedication to Special Education.
In the second year of the plan, the target for 2025 is the development of an audio tour of the fairgrounds to assist those who are blind or vision impaired. In addition, the committee seeks to partner with Butler Amusements, the fair’s carnival operator, to improve accessibility of the carnival rides and investigate opportunities for more seating areas in the carnival area as well as a line “holding” program.
Also, the 2025 fair will reintroduce the Adult Hobby Arts & Crafts categories to ensure that people with disabilities have a place to enter their artwork. The committee encouraged the fair organizers to discontinue the “Exceptional Arts” category in the competitive exhibits program to promote the integration of people with disabilities into mainstream activities.
The goals for the third year of the plan are still under development.
The award-winning Marin County Fair serves more than 100,000 people each year and has been lauded as the Greenest and Healthiest Fair on Earth since 2008. This year’s event runs from July 3-7 at the Marin County Fairgrounds in San Rafael. All the details on the 2024 fair can be found onmarinfair.org.
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