Name: Board votes to cancel 2020 Kansas State Fair, keep some outdoor animal shows
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Board votes to cancel 2020 Kansas State Fair, keep some outdoor animal shows

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Posted: Jul 12, 2020 / 10:38 PM CDTUpdated: Jul 14, 2020 / 07:32 AM CDTHUTCHINSON, Kan. (KSNW) – The Kansas State Fair Board voted 13-0 on Monday to cancel the 2020 Kansas State Fair due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s fair was scheduled for Sept. 11-20.The reversal came a week after the board initially voted to continue with the fair. That initial decision sparking concern from vendors and the community. About half of the vendors had canceled amid worries about delays with travel quarantines, difficulties in putting crews together, and cancellations of other fairs. Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska have canceled their fairs.Some 4-H parents are thrilled to hear some of the animal competitive events will still happen.“You know we’ve been very positive in the spring with the current COVID situation,” said 4-H parent Jamie Boggs. “We’ve continued to travel across the state doing some spring shows. We have continued to work with the animals hoping to show the animals at the state fair.”Boggs said she understands the state fair board is being cautious by not wanting to pack tens of thousands at a time into the fairgrounds. But she is also happy to know the outdoor animal events for her family goats and sheep will continue.While the traditional fair won’t happen, the staff is working to host both open class and youth livestock shows over three weekends starting Labor Day weekend. It includes the state’s premier Grand Drive youth show, which will take place Sept. 11-13. The board also will evaluate other opportunities for the fall. More information on“We’ve had the fair over a hundred years and we’ve never canceled,” said Jenn Galloway, Kansas State Fair competitive exhibits director. “We had a lot of vendors that canceled and some other things that were working against us to put on the fair we feel the way the fair needs to run. “The Kansas State Fair says the fair was the state’s largest gathering for 106 uninterrupted years, not even the Spanish flu or World Wars halted the annual end-of-summer rite.Click here for on the cancelation of the fair. Information regarding ticket refunds will be announced soon.The fair board will meet again on August 4 at 9 a.m. to discuss updates and financial costs.PREVIOUS STORYThe Kansas State Board is reconsidering their decision to host the 2020 fair and will meet Monday, July 13, to decide the fair’s fate. Leaving many vendors and their businesses up in the air.“It’s like on pins and needles waiting to see,” said Stephanie Eckroat, executive director Kansas Dairy Commission and Association.“We just want to have a final decision because we are less than 60 days away now,” said Eugene Hein, owner of Grannie’s Homemade Mustard.For 23 years, Rita and Eugene Hein have shown off Grannie’s Homemade Mustard to thousands of Kansans. Now, their plans are on pause as they await the Kansas State Fair Board to see if there will be a 2020 Kansas State Fair.“We just kind of wish they would make up their mind because it takes us several weeks to get our product all made for the fair,” said Eugene Hein.If the show goes on, Hein is unsure of how much mustard they should be squeezing out.“We just don’t know how much to make. Making too much? Are we not making enough? Because it’s just us making our product.”As for the Dairy Bar, one of the oldest vendors at the state fair, they are waiting with a hopeful but understanding mind.“Obviously, we will be sad if it doesn’t happen, but we completely understand under the circumstances. Nobody plans for a pandemic,” said Eckroat.If the fair happens, safety precautions will need to be addressed for all vendor booths. This is something Dairy Bar is confident about.“We were like hey we got you covered! We did the updates. We have our own air system. We have glass. We’re just, we’re ready,” said Eckroat.Even with precautions in place Hein is not sure how successful business can be.“How many people will be willing to come into our building while being hot and sweaty from being outside and wearing a mask?”The Kansas State Fair Board’s meeting to decide the fair’s fate will be Monday, July 13.LATEST STORIES:Thanks for signing up!Watch for us in your inbox.Subscribe NowDownload the KSN News App and stay up-to-date wherever you are. You can even watch KSN News live for free!✕× Close Ad

Posted: Jul 12, 2020 / 10:38 PM CDTUpdated: Jul 14, 2020 / 07:32 AM CDTHUTCHINSON, Kan. (KSNW) – The Kansas State Fair Board voted 13-0 on Monday to cancel the 2020 Kansas State Fair due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s fair was scheduled for Sept. 11-20.The reversal came a week after the board initially voted to continue with the fair. That initial decision sparking concern from vendors and the community. About half of the vendors had canceled amid worries about delays with travel quarantines, difficulties in putting crews together, and cancellations of other fairs. Texas,...

Board votes to cancel 2020 Kansas State Fair, keep some outdoor animal shows

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