Editor’s note: These were the Top 10 Humboldt County news stories of 2025 based on analytics and the consensus of staff.
Ferndale native and celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s outspoken efforts to keep horse racing at the fair and support the fair in its absence was far and above the most-read story of 2025.
Fieri spoke to the Times-Standard ahead of his participation in the annual chili cook-off in August.
“For me, it’s not about chili, or trophies or even bragging rights, it’s about community and bringing everybody together to support each other,” he said. “Being from Ferndale means a great deal to me and being a part of it all is very rewarding. I’m looking forward to seeing everybody have a great time and spend time together as a community.”
Earlier in the year, in May, he appealed to the California Horse Racing Board that the lack of racing “could be a bullet to the heart of the fair and our community.”
But the board rejected efforts by the fair to keep racing and the fair pivoted to find a viable path forward. It wasn’t without the support of Fieri, who loves the fair.
The California Horse Racing Board voted against allocating horse racing dates to the Humboldt County Fair this year. (Ruth Schneider/The Times-Standard file)
“The Humboldt County Fair was — and still is — a major highlight of my year ever since I was a kid,” Fieri said in August. “Countless memories, countless family outings, I’ll never get enough, and I’ll do everything I can to help the tradition to continue.
“This year, we lost our horse racing meet, and that’s a big blow. It always meant a lot to everyone in the county and I’m hopeful that we can get it back next year. But either way, our show must go on, and as a community, we’re coming together to make it better every year. Maybe we have to go with the flow a bit and change with the times, but if that’s what it takes, that’s what we’ll do. The rural way of life is becoming a lost art these days, but I believe it’s a really vital part of the fabric of our country. I think every kid in America could benefit from a 4H or FFA experience at the Humboldt County Fair versus staring at their screens.”
Fieri arrived in town for the fair and doubled down on his efforts to preserve a Humboldt County tradition.
“You got to remember, this is your fair. We got to support it. Horse racing or not, there’s a lot going on here,” he said Aug. 22.
The fair added some new features — a popular addition was Kinetic racing.
But the finances remain a struggle.
The Humboldt County Fair Association saw steep financial effects from this year’s shortened fair. According to Humboldt County Fair Association CEO Moira Kenny, the seven-day fair saw a 25% decrease in admissions.
A Humboldt County Fair Association report for the fair said the total income decreased $1.4 million from the third quarter of 2024 to 2025, primarily due to $1 million in revenue lost from the lack of horse racing, along with a related $187,000 decrease in concessions and $170,000 decrease in sponsorships.
Without the attraction of horse racing and the resulting decision to limit fair dates, the fair saw a decrease in concessions and a 65% decline in bar revenue. Kenny said, overall, fewer people came to multiple dates during the fair this year.
“It was a hard transition to move away from horse racing in 2025; it was not the desire of the Humboldt County Fair Association to not bring horse racing back. It was an unfortunate determination by the California Horse Racing Board. It directly affected us,” said Kenny.
Reporting by Sage Alexander, Dylan McNeill and Robert Schaulis contributed to this story.
