The first Kendall County Fair was held in Boerne, Texas in 1905. Communication in that day and age was very limited so it was imperative that a central meeting be held at least annually so the people of the area would have a chance to exchange ideas, recipes and news of events.
Thus was born the idea of the county fair and the people of the county gathered together Sept. 4, 1905, in the “Opera House” in downtown Boerne to hold the first Kendall County Fair.
On March 14, 1913, the citizens of Kendall County gathered for the purpose of organizing a Kendall County Fair Association.
The corporation charter was granted July 1, 1913, and the newly formed Kendall County Fair Association was presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by The Ferdinand Ludwig Von Herff Family.
Fifty Five acres of land was deeded to the association from the Herff Family extensive holdings east of town for the association to hold a yearly fair and erect buildings to house the event.
In order to ensure the continuation of the fair for those generations that followed, the deed also forbade any sale of the property.
H.O. Adler was the first president and Martha Fabra (Mrs. E.P. Heye) was appointed first lady manager. Bonnie Lee Kemp (Mrs. Carl H. Molberg) in 1949 was the first Kendall County Fair Queen.
The Kendall County Fair Association governing board now consists of 21 active voting director members. The association is honored to have senior directors with at least nine years of service as a director. As of 2020, 15 of the senior directors served a reign as president during their term as a director. The association has over 2,500 lifetime members.
Herff Park, 1307 River Road, is the home of the Kendall County Fair. The 55-acre park is studded with live oak trees, which makes an ideal setting for the annual Labor Day weekend fair. The facilities are utilized by both commercial and community organization as well as private parties to host their events both large and small.
The Kendall County Fair Association’s “Oma’s Christmas Fair” is held at the fairgrounds annually the first weekend in December. This year, 2021 Oma’s Christmas Fair will celebrate 37 years.
The Kendall County Fair has been held annually, except during the war years when it was supplanted by one or more livestock shows each year, and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fair’s purpose is to display the best agriculture products and livestock from Kendall County and the surrounding hill country area. Its purpose is educational and its main objective is to encourage and develop farming and ranching in line with modern development as an educational and social institution.
The Fair offers patrons a real opportunity to participate in the benefits offered. The Association is a 501(c)3 Non-profit with officers and directors serving without remuneration.
Any and all profits from the various activities held are used to further the interest of the association and for improving properties and the grounds.
The fair would not be possible without the support of Kendall County and the surrounding area.
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