After the COVID-19 pandemic canceled it last year, the Lane County Fair is back for 2021.
Organizers say the fair will be held July 21st through the 25th.
Rachel Bivens is marketing manager and assistant manager for the Lane County Fair. She says they’ve been tracking both pandemic guidelines and the number of COVID-19 cases recently, and feel this is time to bring back the event.
Bivens says after checking the current COVID-19 data and protocols for the area, organizers felt it was time to bring back the fair.
“Our goal is to make it look almost as it would in any other year," she told KLCC. "So things may be a little bit more spaced out, certain elements may have been moved or a building may not be not open because we’ve had to shift in terms of protocol.
"But our goal is to make sure that our fair fans see the same great entertainment, the same great food, have all the same rides, obviously that will continue to evolve between now and when the fair happens, and we’ll adjust that as needed.”
Besides promoting fun, the fair's economic impact is also important.
“For us, it is the largest event we hold each year. A lot of people who participate in the fair, this is their business, this is their livelihoods, so they rely on fairs and festivals and events in order to sustain themselves all year long. Without the event season, many of them were without work, without income.”
An economic impact study of the event will be carried out this year, the first since 2006.
Organizers say while they aim to restore the feel and look of previous fairs, visitor safety will be priority. More details can be found online at atthefair.com.
Copyright 2021, KLCC.
