Concerns Put County Fairs in Quandary
Published: Friday, May 29, 2020
This could be the year of virtual fairs and "show and go" events.
According to a conference call last Friday with a Purdue University Extension official, 4-H livestock exhibitors at county fairs this summer will not be allowed to keep their animals overnight at their respective fairgrounds. This is to allow for deep cleaning and disinfecting of high-contact areas.
That's just one of many COVID-19 restrictions that were issued by officials as we approach the county fair season. On May 15, Purdue announced that in-person events could be held during Stage 5 of Gov. Eric Holcomb's "Back on Track" plan, which begins on July 4. Those events would include the majority of county fairs in Indiana and the state fair in August.
However, county fairs are now learning what is required of them to ensure the safety of all participants. Some of the restrictions—including social distancing, performing daily health screenings of all employees and volunteers, and providing hand sanitizer for everyone on the fairgrounds, among other things—were considered so burdensome that several area fairs decided to cancel their weeklong activities. Among those making that historic decision were St. Joseph (Ind.), Starke and Noble. The Elkhart County 4-H Fair has indicated it will announce a decision next week.
Even for the cancelled fairs, there will be an opportunity for 4-H youths to exhibit their projects virtually, said Casey Mull, Purdue Extension assistant director and program leader for 4-H youth development.
Because of the social distancing requirement, county fairs will need to increase the space required for penning and stalling animals. According to Mull, that means livestock exhibitors will have to show from their trailers to open up space in the barns for exhibitors who cannot safely do that.
Mull anticipates that Indiana will reach Stage 5 by July 4 and said Purdue's guidance is in line with the governor's plan. He added that county fairs need to be flexible should that plan change. For example, Mull noted one recent change regarding facial coverings. In the governor's original plan for Stage 5, masks were considered as optional, but they are now listed as recommended.
Purdue's long-awaited announcement on May 15 seemingly gave the signal to county fairs that they could safely proceed as long as the state moved to Stage 5 by the target date. However, as county fair officials began analyzing the specific guidelines, some questioned whether they would be able to comply. St. Joseph County (Ind.) became the second Michiana fair to cancel its event, following Kalamazoo County in Michigan.
"Given these strict rules, we have determined it is not financially or logistically feasible to safely host an in-person fair this year," the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair board said in a statement last Wednesday. "We do not feel that we can ensure safety in a socially distanced setting."
The fair board added that it will host a virtual fair for 4-H'ers to exhibit their projects and is considering how it may recognize 10-year 4-H'ers.
"Please know, this decision did not come lightly," the fair board said. "This is the most emotionally difficult decision the fair board has ever had to make."
Concerned 4-H families are questioning the restrictions, launching an online petition drive that so far had almost 10,000 signatures as of midday Tuesday. The website lists the various requirements for hosting a 4-H fair, including the "show and go" livestock shows. It says the decision to wear a face mask is a personal choice and should be made by 4-H parents and spectators, not Purdue Extension.
Beth Lamb, a concerned 4-H volunteer from Kosciusko County, said the guidelines from Purdue are "impossible" for county fairs to implement (see letter to editor on page 5). She suspects the Extension system wants to avoid liability, even though she says it requires 4-H parents to sign a liability waiver upon enrollment.
With respect to the possibility of virtual fairs, Lamb, who has two grandchildren in the 4-H program, believes that 4-H youths are being robbed of an important educational activity that is vital to the 4-Hers' emotional well-being.
Representing Purdue's perspective, Mull said sacrifice is part of 4-H. He recited the section of the 4-H pledge where all 4-H'ers vow to promote their health for the protection of "my club, my community, my country and my world."
Mull said fair organizers are encouraged to work with local health departments to ensure public safety. That means the requirements could vary from one county to another. He added that some counties may require temperature checks for every volunteer while others do not.
Mull acknowledged that this is a difficult time, and county fairs that want to hold in-person events will face challenges in complying with the Purdue guidance. He estimated that 12 county fairs have made the decision to cancel as of last Friday. He added that planning for the Indiana State Fair continues and livestock shows are "still very much on the table," even as state fair officials in Ohio and Minnesota last week cancelled their events.
In Michigan, Michigan State University has banned all face-to-face 4-H events, including fairs, through Sept. 1. The Kalamazoo County Fair has been cancelled, but others are moving forward without the participation of MSU Extension staff.
In Indiana, it appears that each county fair will determine whether it will hold a livestock auction. While it is possible to hold an auction online, Mull is encouraging fairs to consider the local economy when making that decision.
During the announcement of his "Back on Track" plan for reopening the state, Gov. Holcomb specifically mentioned that county fairs and festivals would be allowed under Stage 5 that begins on July 4. Local fair organizers and 4-H leaders were hoping that fair would become a celebration of that reopening. While that enthusiasm seems to have been muted somewhat, Mull insisted that 4-H'ers in every county can participate in that celebration, whether it be through an in-person or virtual format.
While this year's fair season will look different, he characterized this as "one blip in time."
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