Abbotsford Agrifair needs additional funding from the city or it faces closing its gates after more than 100 years in the community, say organizers.

Agrifair general manager Pamela Brenner asked city council for $200,000 during its 2012 fee for service request last week, up from $90,000 the year prior.

The fair faces financial challenges, largely due to the loss of revenue with the closure of the Fat Pig Saloon and due to cuts to provincial gaming grant funds.

Agrifair suffered a net loss of $20,600 in 2011 and is in a precarious position while planning for this summer's event, said Brenner.

"Are you prepared to see the end of an event that has been in the community for 101 years?" she asked council, fighting back tears.

The city historically provided the fair with $50,000, but increased that amount to $90,000 in 2011 to mitigate anticipated losses from the loss of the Fat Pig Saloon.

Closure of the moneymaking saloon stemmed from discussions and a desire by all parties, including the city and Abbotsford Police, to make the fair more family friendly, said Brenner.

However, the popular Fat Pig Saloon, with a capacity for 1,000 patrons, generated approximately $76,000 over four nights, said Brenner.

The new beer garden established in place of the saloon, with half the capacity and earlier closing hours of 10 p.m., actually generated $10,000 in losses, said Brenner.

"Rather than being a money maker, it became a losing proposition," she said.

Agrifair is not looking for the re-instatement of the saloon.

"It simply helped us put on the fair," Brenner said.

"The revenue was great, but if we could get it another way that would be better."

The beer garden might benefit from increased capacity or later hours, she added.

The loss of saloon revenue has been compounded by cuts to gaming grant funds by the provincial government.

In the past Agrifair received $80,000 annually from the province, but only got $60,000 in 2011 and expected that to drop to $40,000 in 2012.

The government recently announced it is going to reinstate gaming grant funding, but it's still not clear what Agrifair can count on, said Brenner.

There's a reluctance to increase the gate price because the fair wants to stay affordable for families.

If it cannot get stable funding, Agrifair may have to reduce programs or the days it runs, or worse, shut down entirely, said Brenner.

"Abbotsford is an agricultural community and it would be a shame to not have a fair," she said.

"How many other events can claim they've been here for 101 years?"

RBaker@abbotsfordtimes.com

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