Riverside County Fair AND National Date Festival Presented by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Announces Local Scholarships

Indio, CA, February 20, 2023 – Pickering Events LLC, the new operators of the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival presented by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, awarded scholarship funds to 14 outstanding High School Seniors in recognition of the importance of the Fair to the community.

Students from 17 High Schools across the County participated in a month-long competition that considered their community involvement, scholastic achievement, interviews, and an essay (written on "The Importance of Community").

The $2,000 scholarship recipients are:

Alexis Alfaro, Notre Dame High School Riverside, Mira Loma

David Anacan, Palm Springs High School, Palm Springs, Palm Springs                  

Leah Marie Baluyot, Chaparral High School, Temecula Murrieta

Olga Benito, Desert Mirage High School, Thermal, Thermal

Riley Cohen, Cathedral City High School, Cathedral City, Cathedral City

Kaylee Cervantes, Notre Dame High School, Riverside, Riverside

Caitlyn Hill, Desert Mirage High School, Thermal, Mecca

Isela Lopez, Desert Mirage High School, Thermal, Thermal

Ryann Van Horn, Palm Desert High School, Palm Desert, Indio

Monique Villalobos, Ramona High School, Ramona, Riverside

The $1,000 scholarship recipients are: 

Luis Bojorquez, Coachella Valley High School, Thermal, Indio

Jasmine Leyva, Rancho Mirage High School, Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City

April Nunez, Indio High School, Indio, Indio

Isaac Robles, Palm Springs High School, Palm Springs, Cathedral City

"Pickering Events LLC, in collaboration with Butler Amusements and the Bailey-Findley Foundation, are honored to offer these deserving Class of 2023 seniors scholarship funds to be sent in each student's name to the college or university of their choice," said Chris Pickering, Founding Partner of Pickering Events. "Our goal with the scholarships is to honor and emphasize exceptional student achievement. Winners also participated in today's Presidents' Day Parade and were given tickets to enjoy the Fair."

To be considered for a Date Festival Scholarship award, students were required to have a cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0 (unweighted), have completed a Date Festival Scholarship Application online, and have submitted a 500-word essay on the topic "The Importance of Community" by Friday eve, February 3. Finalists also participated in a Zoom interview, and finalists were notified Monday, February 6.

Pickering Events LLC produces the family-favorite Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival presented by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

From February 17-26, 2023, The Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival occurs at the Riverside County Fairgrounds at 82-503 CA Highway 111, Indio, 92201. For ten days, feature attractions unique to Riverside County will include exhilarating carnival rides, live music, date cooking demonstrations, Blue Ribbon competitions, cute farm animals, and your favorite fair foods. Tickets are available online at https://datefest.org and at the Fairgrounds.

For more info about the festival, please visit:

https://www.datefest.org/p/about/faqs

To purchase tickets visit: www.datefest.org.

Media Credentials will be required to attend this event. For advance or on-site interviews, and to obtain onsite media credentials, please email Merry@MPowerMedia.com or Maryann@MPowerMedia.com.

Merry Aronson                                                         Maryann Ridini Spencer

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