Missouri State Fair pivots and cancels most events, citing public health concerns

The Missouri State Fair announced Friday it will go on as a youth livestock show this year, canceling all other events to reduce crowds and promote safety despite previous plans to continue normal operations with precautions.

The youth livestock show will run from Aug. 13-23 and be open to Missouri 4-H and FFA members. Others will be allowed to enter the fairgrounds and attend the shows for free, said Kari Mergen, the fair’s marketing director.

The fair normally hosts entertainment, auto races, rodeos and other events and attractions outside of the livestock shows. Those events, such as the opening day ceremony, governor’s ham breakfast and carnival midway, have been canceled, Mergen said.

Last year’s event brought in over 337,000 people, but Mergen said the change is expected to reduce attendance and allow for more distancing on the fairgrounds. Various vendors and supporters also pulled out of the event, the announcement said, and limited concessions will be offered.

While states around the Midwest, including Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota, chose to cancel their state fairs earlier in the year, Missouri continued plans to host its annual event.

The Kansas State Fair also previously announced it would cancel its event for the first time in 106 years.

“When the original decision to move forward with the Fair was made, the information and numbers were different than they are now,” the announcement said. “In collaboration with Governor Parson and the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services it was determined that the best course of action was to work to reduce the number of individuals on the fairgrounds.”

The fair will offer but not require masks, Mergen said. She said the fair will increase hand washing and sanitizing stations at each of the show rings and encourage people to take other precautions, such as social distancing.

This story was originally published July 17, 2020 at 3:49 PM.