2020 Effingham County Fair is Canceled

The 2020 Effingham County Fair has been canceled.

The Fair Board reached the decision Wednesday night.

Fair Board President Phil Hartke did say the Fair Queen Pageant and Junior Miss Pageant would be held. The crowds for the events will be restricted to 50 or less and the Board is working on live streaming the pageants. Hartke said the Board committed earlier this year to sponsor the pageants, regardless.

However, canceled are the Tracy Lawrence and Neal McCoy concert, the three tractor pulls, harness racing, ranch sorting, car show and the rodeo. Exhibition halls were already going to remain closed.

Hartke said the Governor's office would not send inspectors for carnival rides or even allow Midwest Jumpers to operate the inflatables, so those were not an option. 

He also said with the increase in COVID-19 cases in Texas, Florida and other states, the fair board did not want to be the cause of businesses and schools not being able to open. 

Hartke said, "All we can do is look forward to having a complete fair next year." 

The 2021 Effingham County Fair will be held July 31 to August 7.