The man who has probably attended more Napa County Fairs than anyone else on record, Mike Kenny, might still be seen around the fairgrounds this summer, but if so, it could be just as a spectator, not as the fair’s boss.

Kenny, who’s spent some 30 years in the state’s fair industry, announced this week that he plans to hang it up and enjoy life while he still can.

“I have a couple of grandchildren, and although I’m older than most people think, I’m still young enough to get out there and enjoy life, be with the grandkids and maybe do a little fishing,” Kenny said early this week. “I may still be around for a while at first to help out, I’ll most likely be a spectator at this year’s Fourth of July Fair.”

Kenny has spent nearly 25 years as manager of the Napa County Fairgrounds, but at the Feb. 13 meeting of the fair’s board of trustees he announced he was retiring, effective April 30.

A number of improvements have been instituted during Kenny’s tenure at the Napa County Fair, including the construction of the Cropp building, the remodel of the Tucker building, which serves as the golf pro shop for the Mount St. Helena Golf Course on Grant Street and the installation of about $500,000 in solar upgrades.

Additionally, Kenny had worked with the City of Calistoga on developing several irrigation projects to use reclaimed water at the fairgrounds. A report from the Napa County Fair credits Kenny with more than $3.25 million in capital improvements to the facilities, funded mostly with grants by the State’s Division of Fairs and through funds generated by the fair.

Kenny has also served for several years on the board of directors of the California Auto Racing Committee and as director on the board for the Golden State Challenge Racing Association.

In 1993 the fair board and Kenny were considering building a large hotel at the fairgrounds, but the idea fizzled. A year later, in the summer of 1994, according to The Weekly Calistogan files (July 30, 1994), Kenny and the fair board “were slammed” by a county grand jury investigation that faulted them for a number of concerns, including laxity in following guidelines for spending and awarding contracts, spending money on trips for board members and staff, the lack of noticing the public of its meetings and elections and the lack of a contract with Kenny for at least the first 10 years of his tenure.

No replacement has been named by the fair board, according to Kenny.

“I know they’ll be looking how they’ll find someone to take over in coming weeks,” Kenny said. “Even so, until they find someone to take over I’ll be around in case they need a little help. And if they don’t, maybe I’ll enter this year’s barbecue competition.”

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