The San Joaquin Fair is staggering a bit in the buildup to celebrate its 150th anniversary, but organizers finally expect to know by Friday when the fair will take place.

The recession has taken its toll on the annual fair, which has seen its expenses surpass its income for most of the past few years — and 2010 is expected to be no different, fair CEO Debbie Cook said.

For the first time, horseracing and fair activities will take place at the same time in what fair officials hope will be an action-packed five days.

Just when those five days will be is still unclear at this point, thanks to delays by the California Horse Racing Board, which sets fair dates across the state. The board was supposed to settle all state fair dates in November, but it got sidetracked by other issues at its monthly meeting, and it took December off.

That board is scheduled to meet Friday, when Cook expects to finally know the San Joaquin Fair’s schedule.

The horse races were a big draw for the estimated 80,000 people who showed up for last year’s fair.

The fair’s managers hope to try other new things this year to boost attendance, which has fallen sharply from the 200,000 attendees it attracted when it was stretched over 11 days, as it was most recently in 2007.

More people mean more money for the fair, which had about a $200,000 deficit in 2009 and expects to spend 2010 in the red as well, Cook said. The fair’s budget last year was about $3.2 million.

The fair board will try to lure more paying customers by creating a community stage, where the performances of local acts could draw friends and relatives who otherwise would stay away from the fair.

Other ideas with an eye toward the fair’s lengthy past are still being kicked around, Cook said, such as newspaper-throwing contest in which participants try to miss milk bottles yet hit their mark on a faux porch.

Last month, the fair board rejected a few suggestions meant to make the fair more attractive and save a little cash, after howls of protest by a few people who help run the livestock exhibits.

The board had planned to reduce the number of animals each boy or girl can show from two to one, partly to make sure there would be enough space for all the animals.

But Dianna Mueller, who manages large animals at the fair, told the board that could cost some kids a lot of money, because many 4-H participants had already paid for two animals, with deposits that can’t be refunded.

Some animals cost hundreds of dollars, she said.

Mueller and others also questioned a suggestion that would have animals raised for auction be at the fairgrounds at the same time as animals raised to be entered and judged in shows.

David Luis wrote a letter to the fair board saying that the idea raises “bio-security issues,” because show animals could take diseases back to the farm that they picked up from animals raised for the auction block, which get different vaccines.

A third idea — to keep animals auctioned off Saturday at the fair until Sunday — was also shot down by the board, partly because Luis and others complained it would result in a burden for the hundreds of volunteers and youngsters involved in livestock at the fair.

That suggestion was made because fair organizers wanted to have animals at the fair all five days, rather than have them off the grounds for 20 percent of the fair. Sunday also is the day with the highest attendance, Cook said.

Elaine Bogetti of Tracy, in charge of cattle at the fair, also advised directors to consider some changes that would lessen the chances that a large animal might get spooked in a stall, possibly injuring its child handler or others.

The proposed changes were quickly shelved at the suggestion of board Chairwoman Tori Verber.

Fair board directors are still mulling whether it’s a good idea to have fireworks at its 150th celebration, given that those, too, might stress out jumpy thoroughbreds and other animals on the grounds.

The difficulties created by shrinking revenue have the board and its managers thinking constantly about how to draw in more people or cut costs.

“We’re going to have to hang tough,” Cook said.