East SBV Times

Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) has announced that Senate Bill 1224, which addresses the operational needs of the Riverside County Fairgrounds, has been signed into law by Governor Newsom.

“SB 1224 is a practical solution that allows the Riverside County Fairgrounds to continue serving our community and supporting local businesses without unnecessary burdens,” said Senator Ochoa Bogh. “I am grateful for the support from my colleagues and the Governor in recognizing the importance of this bill. Now all patrons can continue to enjoy adult beverages with food at the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival. Thank you to the County of Riverside for partnering with me on this bill.”

SB 1224 permits the Riverside County Fairgrounds to serve alcohol on-site provided that food service is available to the public at all times during events. This legislative change addresses unique circumstances and operational challenges faced by the fairgrounds.

“Since 1947, the National Date Festival has been a storied and integral part of the life of Riverside County residents and visitors,” said Senator Richard D. Roth (D-Riverside), joint author of SB 1224. “Our legislation helps ensure the continued success and longevity of the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival for decades to come.”

“I appreciate our joint efforts with Senator Ochoa Bogh with this legislation that is helpful to the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival,” said Riverside County Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. “This bill helps continue our longstanding and beloved traditions, for over 75 years now, of providing residents and visitors with fun, rides, and shows, as well as the food and drinks that are enjoyed at every fair.”

The Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio, California, hosts numerous high-profile events such as the Annual County Fair & National Date Festival and the Scare and Pumpkin Festival, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Despite its longstanding tradition of hosting these events, recent changes in alcohol licensing requirements by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) threatened its ability to offer alcoholic beverages.

The bill was necessitated by ABC's requirement for fairgrounds to qualify as a “bona fide eating place” for alcohol licensing purposes. Despite meeting previous requirements through off-track betting facilities (which ceased in 2015), current setups with food trucks and caterers did not meet new standards.

SB 1224 resolves this issue by ensuring that fairgrounds can continue serving adult beverages with food available, aligning with their operational model.