PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio (Dimple Times) – With all the changes taking place in restaurants, retail, and life in general – it’s no surprise that outdoor entertainment may look a little different this year and for a little while longer. With life slowly easing back into normal following the COVID-19 crisis, you can expect to see more guidelines and practices put into motion at events or outdoor venues such as concerts, theme parks, parades, festivals, and fairs.
With things up in the air and the cancellation of other outdoor events, many have wondered how these changes were going to affect the Pickaway County Fair, which is one of the first events to kick off the fair season in Ohio.
Christy Pence, the secretary on the Pickaway County Fair board, spoke with us to share with us that the fair is still happening and what their plans are going forward with this year’s fair.
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“Fortunately, we had the wheels in motion several weeks ago, that would be very closely aligned with what the governor’s office released,” Christy shared.
Christy explained a huge portion of what the governor’s office set up as a guideline was already put into motion with their plans, with some adjustments being made to make sure that they’re compliant.
“We are working closely with the health department to make sure that everything is compliant based on both local and state restrictions,” she stated.
While restrictions are still in place currently, a lot can happen over the next few weeks – including a possibility of some of the current restrictions being relaxed as things move forward. That is the hope Christy shared as they continue making plans on the fair.
“We’re going to try to make it as close of a full fair as possible,” Christy admitted, going on to add, “We don’t know exactly what that’s going to look like as there are still some restrictions in place that would not allow for a full fair.”
They are still awaiting what details are to come in terms of offering amusement rides and fair foods, which should be heard about more this week as more restrictions are eased. The board is still making decisions in terms of the grandstands along with the food and the rides, which they plan to come to a decision during their June 8th board meeting.
Regarding concerns with Amy Acton’s extension of the stay at home order that came out over the weekend and how it would affect fairs, Christy wanted to add: “We have been in contact with the Governor’s office and multiple sources are telling us it is okay to proceed with fair plans consistent to the guidelines that were released by the Governor Thursday.”
The Pickaway County Fair will celebrate its 75th anniversary this year and will begin on June 20th and through to June 27th.
Be sure to watch for our special edition printing of the Dimple Times while you visit the Pickaway County Fair this year.
