Board votes to allow Jr. Fair projects but no games, rides or entertainment
Just hours after the Ohio Governor announced that local fair boards could and should make decisions about their local fairs, the Union County Fair Board set its plan to move forward.
At an emergency meeting Thursday, the fair board voted unanimously to hold a modified version of the fair. The fair will be held July 25-Aug. 1.
At this point, the 2020 Union County Fair will be a junior fair and horseracing only.
“We want the kids to be able to exhibit their projects but more importantly keep everyone safe,” according to information from the Union County Fair.
Officials said the fair is working “in conjunction with our health department” to ensure the safety of those at the fair.
The fair will be limited to 4-H and FFA exhibitors and their families.
The fair will not include rides, games merchant or the traditional midway events. Additionally, there will be no grandstand entertainment.
Angie Grose, secretary with the Union County Fair, said there will be concessions, but they will be “limited.”
While there will be Junior Fair livestock shows, there will not be any open class shows.
Christy Leeds, Ohio State University extension educator and 4-H Youth Development director, said she does not have information to share.
“All Fair activities are under the purview of the Senior Fair Board so ultimately all decisions will come from the Senior Fair Board,” Leeds wrote in an email to the Journal-Tribune.
She said the livestock and special interest committees will be meeting next week, “to begin working on specific plans as to how to plan events and meet health guidelines.”
Grose asked for patience as the board works to finalize plans.
“There are many details such as schedules, camping, social distancing and cleaning
requirements, etc. that need to be worked out,” according to the fair board announcement. “We are in communication with our local health department, the county extension office, and our livestock committee and horse council, to make the best out of this event.”
Leeds said groups are “planning” but there are no details about if or how a livestock sale will be held.
“None of that is known yet,” Leeds wrote in an e-mail to the Journal-Tribune today. “Both the Fair Board and committees have been waiting on the guidance from the governor’s office to see whether and how they can move forward.”
The state’s fair advisory group has mandated that if an auction is held, animals are not to be present in the ring. The viewing gallery will be limited to buyers and immediate family, “unless building capacity allows for more while following social distancing guidelines.
The group is recommending virtual auctions be held if possible.
“Due to our internet upgrade last year and previous discussions; we will have the ability to live stream all shows,” according to the fair board announcement. “This will allow family members unable to attend to still watch their exhibitors.”
Thursday, Gov. Mike DeWine said decisions about county and independent fairs “need to be made locally because each county and independent fair is unique and has different challenges.”
He said his Fair Advisory Group has released guidelines for how county fair boards and agricultural societies can work with county health departments to safely operate junior fairs for kids.
The group wrote that it, along with DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton, “strongly recommend that for the 2020 fair season, Agricultural Societies limit fairs to allow only for 4-H and FFA ‘Junior Fair’ activities.”
“Fair boards must work closely with local boards of health, and all fairs must comply with all executive orders and orders of the Ohio Department of Health in effect at the time of the fair,” the Fair Advisory Group wrote. “In the event fair boards decide that they can safely host attractions, concessions, and exhibitors beyond Junior Fair activities, they must also comply with the applicable sector guidelines.”
Fairs must conduct daily symptom assessments.
“Anyone experiencing symptoms must stay home,” according to the group’s mandates.
Shows will be limited to 10 exhibitors in the show ring at one time and spectators and others in the exhibition area must follow current orders regarding mass gatherings and social distancing.
Fair Boards are responsible for drafting 2020 operational guidance specific to each county fair ground, with approval given by the local board of health.
Animals will be permitted to stay on the fairgrounds for no more than 72 hours and it is recommended they stay on the fairgrounds for no more than 48 hours.
Fair boards are being encouraged to use technology to livestream livestock shows and other activities.
“Conditions may change over the course of the summer, however, we are asking all fair boards to comply with all of the orders of the Ohio Department of Health and the guidelines for other sectors that would also apply to fairs, such as for food service and rides,” DeWine said.
DeWine said the Ohio Department of Agriculture is in the process of distributing all state funding available for Ohio’s 94 county and independent fairs.