By Neil Doyle
BLOOMINGTON – The McLean County Fair Board on Thursday announced this year’s fair has been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“It was a difficult decision, but ultimately our concern for public health and challenges in adhering to social distancing protocols proved to be the deciding factor,” said Mark Hines, president of the McLean County Fair. “The financial ramifications of hosting a reduced-capacity Fair would be too harmful and we want to protect the ability of the McLean County Fair to continue for future generations.”
“Our top priority is the safety of the thousands of people who attend the McLean County Fair,” said fair manager Mike Swartz. “We feel this decision is necessary to protect the fairgoers, youth exhibitors and their families, volunteers, commercial vendors, entertainers, concessionaires, employees and sponsors.”
“We have newspapers that go back and the farm bureau that represents the fair, I’ve scoured those and there was a fair every year, even during the second World War,” Swartz said. “This is the first time I can see in our records that the fair was ever canceled.”
As separate summer events, the fair is still planning their HogWild 5K for August 2 and working with the McLean County Health Department on a limited Jr. Livestock Show for youth exhibitors and members in their household.
Last year, more than 28,000 people attended the McLean County Fair during its five-day run, which was a four year high.
The 2021 fair will be August 4-8 at the McLean County Fairgrounds on the west side of Bloomington.
Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]
