Calhoun County Fair Is Still A Go For 2020

There are so many events that have been cancelled this year because of the Coronavirus, that seeing a headline like this gives me a glimmer of hope that gatherings will one day return to normal. Michigan's oldest continuous running fair, dating back to 1848, is located right here in Southwest Michigan. The Calhoun County Fair has never missed a year in it's 1 72 years of operation, and they aren't letting Covid-19 break their streak as they plan on moving forward with plans.

People attending the fair however can expect to see some changes in the way it's set up, to account for social distancing. However, Calhoun County Fairgrounds General Manager Jen Rice is still unsure of whether or not the fair will be allowed to operate in that time. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Safe Start plan and where Michigan will be by Mid-July is crucial to knowing if it will actually take place, as she told BC Enquirer:

We're kind of deciding to wait or decide until July 15 to make the call on our fair, about 30 days out. Which if we do get to phase six with the re-opening plan then we have the green light 30 days out with a vaccine and no new cases. We're fingers crossed hoping for that. If not, there's avenues we can take.

Currently outside gatherings of no more than 100 people are allowed to take place. Last year alone, over 90,000 people attended the Calhoun County Fair. With Kalamazoo County Fair, Jackson County Fair and Ionia Free Fair all being cancelled for 2020, this may be our only chance to enjoy the fair this year.