The McLean County Fair Board announced Thursday it has canceled this year’s fair due to the pandemic, while the 4-H show will be done online.
“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.”
The fair was scheduled for Aug. 5-9 at the McLean County Fairgrounds in west Bloomington.
Fair officials said they are working with the McLean County Health Department on a limited junior livestock show for youth exhibitors and their families. The fair is still planning to host its Hog Wild 5K run at the fairgrounds on Aug. 2.
Bobbie Lewis-Sibley, the University of Illinois Extension director for McLean, Livingston and Woodford counties, said all 4-H participants must submit entries through the online program FairEntry by Aug. 5 and judges will review the entries Aug. 7-12.
“The biggest disappointment or change may be the actual in-person atmosphere that the fair and 4-H show bring,” she said.
Lewis-Sibley said she doesn’t know how moving to virtual will impact participation, but she noted other 4-H shows this year have seen about two-thirds the entries they typically see. She said she’s just grateful the young people will have an outlet to showcase what they have learned and worked on.
“Many of them do work all year-round on their projects and they are very proud of the things they have learned and done, so I am very glad we can still to this virtually for them,” Lewis-Sibley said.
She said some classes, such as those involving horses and dogs, will be eliminated where managers feel younger participants will be unable to do them virtually at home.
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