Manatee County Fair starts Thursday. Fair lovers have a big decision to make this year
Nothing is more all-American than the county fair. It’s Americana at its best with thrill rides, bright lights on the midway, tempting fair food, livestock shows, arts and crafts, and more. What’s not to like?
This year, it is the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, which lately has been producing several hundred positive tests results a day in Manatee County.
The Manatee River Fair Association has decided to go ahead with the fair this year, sticking with previously announced dates. When gates open at 5 p.m. Thursday for the first day of the fair, scheduled to run through Jan. 24, there will be new safe guards in place. More spacing between events and rides, a requirement to wear masks inside buildings, the addition of sanitizing stations, no-sit areas, and social distancing.
“This fair will look completely different than it has ever looked before,” first-year fair manager Danny Alfonso previously said.
Monday, the fairgrounds were rapidly filling up with vendors and ride operators setting up shop.
But the question remains. Are the safeguards enough? Should the fair, the largest event scheduled in Manatee County during the pandemic, have been postponed?
On Jan. 4, Alfonso issued a clarification on the mask policy for for the fair: “The Manatee County Fair considers its patrons’ health and safety its top priority in providing a county fair to highlight the best of Manatee County, Florida. Face masks are required to enter any buildings on the Manatee County Fairgrounds. Masks are strongly recommended, but not required, when outdoors where social distancing can be maintained. All attendees are strongly urged to wear a mask whenever and wherever possible.”
Alfonso did not immediately return phone calls on Friday or Monday seeking more information about this year’s fair.
So, should you attend?
“COVID-19 exposure is an inherent risk in any public locations where people are present: Guests should only attend after evaluating their own health risks,” the fair association’s web page states.
“The Manatee River Fair Association cannot guarantee you will not be exposed during your visit. Purchase of a ticket, pass or ride armband and entry on to the Manatee County Fairgrounds constitutes your understanding of these risks and your willingness to undertake the risk of exposure. No refunds will be given following your entry on to the Fairgrounds,” the web page says.
In recognition of the pandemic, the Florida State Fair in Tampa, originally scheduled for Feb. 11-22, has been pushed back to April.
The South Florida Fair in Palm Beach County has announced that instead of holding its traditional fair in January, it will have an outside mini-fair Jan. 15-31 where masks are mandatory, not optional. A full-fledged fair is planned May 7-23.
“We have proven the ability to make adjustments as needed,” Vicki Chouris, the fair’s president & CEO, said in a press release on Jan. 4. “In the name of safety, most people realize why we decided to scale back our traditional fair but we also know they were disappointed. Now they can get two different types of fairs for the price of one, all in the same year.”
To date, the South Florida and Florida State fairs are the only two that have shifted their dates, Dan West, executive director of the Florida Federation of Fairs and Livestock Shows Inc., said Monday.
“All of the other fairs are planning to go in their time slots for the winter-spring season, said West, the former long-time manager of the Manatee County Fair.
The Charlotte County Fair is planned starting Jan. 29, followed by the Highlands County, Martin County and Osceola County fairs, all starting Feb. 12.
This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
