After a two-year pandemic driven hiatus, the Oregon Country Fair is returning as an in-person event this July. Fairgoers and volunteers should know, there will be some changes.
The five forces of Oregon Country Fair have always been arts, entertainment, food, patrons, and open spaces. Executive Director Kirsten Bolton said while these elements will still embody the 2022 event, there are caveats for health and safety.
“For the public, we do require vaccination [proof.]” Bolton said. “If you are not vaccinated, then you must provide a negative COVID-19 test that was performed within 24 hours prior to attendance.”
Bolton added those tests must be administered by a licensed COVID testing facility.
OCF volunteers who stay on the Veneta site day and night must be fully vaccinated, period. Bolton said they expect attrition- as some folks still don’t feel safe in large groups. Which leads to another change at Fair-- capacity.
“We are going to scale back our ticket sales.” For the first time, the OCF Board has passed a capacity limitation—It’s now 35,000 people, per day. This number includes the nearly 10,000 volunteers who operate Fair.
Oregon Country Fair tickets go on sale April 1. When you buy a ticket at TicketsWest.com there is a button asking that you accept the conditions of the ticket sale.
Vax proof for everyone going to 2022 Oregon Country Fair can be done in a few ways. A photo of a completed vaccination card will be accepted. And apps that are QR code generators may be used. Bolton says the traditional vax card is best and folks are urged to just bring their card along just to be sure.
In the fall of 2021, Oregon Country Fair received nearly two million dollars with a Shuttered Venue Operators Grant. This award assured OCF could continue operations while working toward the 2022 event.
The land in Veneta, owned and preserved by OCF has been uninhabited by fairgoers for two years. The grant must be used by March, 2023.
So, crews will begin “building up the site in early May,” Bolton said. They’ve been having a hard time sourcing supplies during the pandemic,” she said,” but they will make due.
The weather and lack of upkeep over the last two years has resulted in the loss of one OCF stage. Bolton said Shady Grove stage “has eroded into the Long Tom River.”
The Oregon County Fair is one of the largest summer events in the state. It’s also been said to be the oldest country fair in the world. The last in-person fair was in July 2019, on the 50th anniversary of the event. Since then, it’s been online with “Fair in the Clouds” as “the Fair that wasn’t there.”
Here's the complete OCF 2022 PUBLIC VACCINATION POLICY
Here's more information on tickets and travel to the 2022 Oregon Country Fair:
Individual ticket prices are $40 for Friday, July 8; $40 for Saturday, July 9; and $35 for Sunday, July 10. Tickets purchased the day of the event are $50 for Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
All admission tickets are sold through TicketsWest online at ticketswest.com.
(Prices do not include TicketsWest service fees.) Children ages 10 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult and there is a $5 discount for individuals who are alter-abled or age 65 or older. No admission tickets are sold at the fair site.
Parking at the Oregon Country Fair is $15 per vehicle per day. Parking passes may be purchased with admission tickets or onsite the day of the fair. Fairgoers must show an admission ticket or will-call voucher to drive onto the site.
Fairgoers are encouraged to use public transportation to travel round trip to the fair, OCF has partnered with Lane Transit District (LTD) to provide free bus service for those who have a ticket to the Fair. The free service is offered on all LTD routes.
