The annual celebration of the 2026 Redwood Mountain Faire at Roaring Camp Railroads has come and gone, but for nearly 20 nonprofit organizations across the San Lorenzo Valley, the positive impact is only just beginning.
During a check presentation ceremony on July 27, organizers announced the Faire will distribute a record $75,000 to the nonprofit organizations whose volunteers helped make this year’s festival a success. The total marks the largest community payout in the event’s history and underscores the Faire’s unique mission: using one of the region’s most beloved festivals to directly fund local organizations.
For Redwood Mountain Faire organizer Hallie Greene, the milestone represents years of careful planning and financial stewardship.
“We’ve kind of hovered around being in the $50,000 to $60,000 range for quite a few years,” Greene said. “Being able to give away $75,000 this year feels really good.”
While attendees experience the Faire as two days of live music, art, food and family fun, Greene sees the event through a different lens. Producing the annual festival costs more than $100,000 even before the first ticket is sold, making every year something of a financial gamble.
“Events aren’t a sure thing until they’re over,” she said. “If we had a rainy weekend or, God forbid, another fire happened right before the event, we’d be in a difficult position.”
That uncertainty prompted organizers to spend years building a financial reserve rather than distributing every available dollar immediately. When Greene first became involved with the Faire about a decade ago, the organization had roughly $10,000 in savings.
“We’ve been trying to build that up over time,” she said. “Now we have a strong enough reserve that if something happened and we had to cancel, we’d have a foundation to recover and come back the following year.”
The strategy comes at a time when many small community festivals throughout California have struggled — or disappeared altogether — as rising production costs, insurance rates and unpredictable weather challenge volunteer-run events.
“I’ve noticed a lot of smaller events are closing up,” Greene said. “So I was really happy this year that not only was the Faire successful, but we were able to give away even more.”
Unlike many festivals that donate proceeds after expenses are paid, the Redwood Mountain Faire relies on the nonprofits themselves to make the event possible. Volunteer groups provide staffing throughout the weekend, and their share of the proceeds is based largely on the number of volunteer hours they contribute.
“It’s a really unique model,” Greene said. “I don’t know too many events where you take a bunch of volunteer organizations that come together, put on an event and then the event benefits all of them.”
Most years, between 18 and 20 nonprofit organizations participate. While many are longtime partners, the application process remains open to new organizations each year.
This year welcomed two newcomers: Damians Ladder and the Ben Lomond Village Alliance.
Greene said she appreciates hearing fresh perspectives from new participants and community members alike. A recent conversation with a prospective sponsor, for example, prompted discussion about the types of organizations represented.
“They felt we were a little heavy on schools and the arts and suggested maybe more veterans organizations or other community groups,” Greene said. “I thought that was interesting feedback. It’s always valuable to hear how different people see what we do.”
Even so, she said the organizations that participate demonstrate year after year just how meaningful the funding can be.
“For some of these smaller nonprofits, this is essentially their budget for the year,” she said. “It really makes a significant difference.”
The checks presented to a panoply of local nonprofits will help support a wide range of community programs — from youth education and recreation to arts, environmental stewardship and social services — extending the impact of a single summer weekend throughout the year. Beneficiaries for 2026 included Valley Women’s Club, Mountain Community Theater, Horse Sense Education and Advocacy, South Street Centre, Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center and Mountain Community Resources.
The Faire’s success also reflects the hundreds of volunteers who donate their time before, during and after the event, creating what Greene describes as a true community effort.
While festival-goers may remember favorite bands, artisan booths or rides on the historic steam train, organizers measure success differently: by the tangible benefits that ripple throughout the valley long after the event has concluded.
As community festivals across the country face increasing financial pressure, the Redwood Mountain Faire continues to prove that a volunteer-powered event can remain both culturally vibrant and economically sustainable.
For Greene, that’s perhaps the Faire’s greatest achievement.
“It’s more than just a festival,” she said. “It’s a way for nonprofit organizations to come together, help each other and ultimately strengthen the entire community.”
With record donations distributed this year and a healthy financial foundation established for the future, the Redwood Mountain Faire appears well-positioned to continue that tradition for years to come.
