1a District Agricultural Association (Cow Palace Fair Board)Government

The 1-A District Agricultural Association (Cow Palace Fair Board) is a state institution operating under the California Department of Food and Agriculture's Division of Fairs and Expositions. Governed by a nine-member board of directors appointed by the Governor of California, its mandate is to manage, maintain, and oversee operations at the historic Cow Palace arena and event complex in Daly City, promoting agricultural education, livestock exhibitions, equestrian competitions, and community events in the San Francisco Bay Area. Formally organized as a California agricultural district association following land acquisitions authorized by the state legislature in 1931, the board officially opened the famous WPA-built arena in April 1941, which later gained global fame as a premier sports and entertainment venue and host to the 1956 and 1964 Republican National Conventions.