Jackson County organizers have joined Scott and Bartholomew Counties in cancellation their annual county fairs in light of COVID-19 and the inability to control social distancing with large crowds.
Last week the Jackson County 4-H Council, Purdue Extension Jackson County and Jackson County Fair Association decided it was in the public health interest to cancel this year’s fair scheduled for July 26 through Aug. 1 at the fairgrounds in Brownstown.
The fair began in the 1930’s and the only other time it was cancelled was one year during World War II.
With the fair having an average attendance of 130,000, it would have been difficult to meet all of the requirements set by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Changes required by the current guidelines include:
•Livestock would only be on the grounds for the day of their show and the barns would not be open to the public
•Food stands would be required to monitor and maintain 6 feet of social distancing in food lines as required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines
•Buildings would be required to be one-way traffic only with limits to the number of people that can be in each building at one time to comply with proper social distancing
•All lines and walkways in the carnival grounds would be required to maintain 6 feet of social distancing at all times
“The Jackson County Fair takes great pride in being the largest event in Jackson County and has operated at an award-winning level throughout its history,” read a statement posted on social media. “However, the current projected guidelines in which the Jackson County Fair and any live 4-H event would have to abide by make it impossible to provide the same fair experience we have been accustomed to providing.”
The Jackson County Fair is known as a place where people come to gather. This is evident in one of its nicknames, ‘The Lawn Chair Fair,’ However, a large gathering at the end of July currently poses a great deal of risk to our visitors and volunteers from all communities that come to the fair and the related churches, schools and places of work of our visitors and volunteers, officials said.
The 2021 Jackson County Fair is hoped to occur July 25-31.
