Union City, Tenn.–The Obion County Fair will go on.
After being the topic of much discussion over the past several months because of the coronavirus pandemic, the all-volunteer board has decided to move ahead with plans for the 62nd Obion County Fair in a modified state.
Modifications include the cancellation of all indoor activities, including the Fairest of the Fair pageants. Only outdoor activities will be allowed and the horticulture, fruit and garden exhibits will be moved outdoors.
Wearing masks are strongly encouraged but not required and fair officials said the grounds will be sanitized frequently.
There will be a midway, overseen by Amusement Attractions.
“The decision was not made quickly or taken lightly by the Obion County Fair Association,” the board said in a press release. “At this time, we will still have the fair, with many changes being made to follow the guidelines set forth by the State of Tennessee.”
The fair is scheduled for Aug. 21-29 and has the theme “2020: A Decade to Grow.”
Precautionary measures are being put forth to help keep everyone in attendance safe.
The fair board will:
• Strongly encourage guests to wear a cloth face covering according to CDC guidelines. “This will not be policed, yet we humbly ask that everyone be respectful of others at the fair.”
• Screen and check temperatures of all people entering the fairgrounds.
• Screen and check temperatures of all workers and volunteers.
• Send anyone home who is checked with a 100 degree fever or more.
• Increase frequency of disinfection with special attention given to bathrooms, rails around bleachers, door entries, ticket booths and more.
• Limit bathroom capacity so there is no one waiting inside for a stall.
• Close the indoor Junior Building and Domestic Buildings. Horticulture, Fruits and Garden is the only department — with lots located on Page 32 of the Premium Catalogue — in those buildings which will be allowed in this year’s fair. Other entries made in that department will be accepted in the 2021 fair. Entries already made for this year’s fair will be accepted next year as the board plans waive the rule stating that items must have been made in the last year.
Horticulture, Fruits and Garden entries will be taken outdoors in the Open Building next door to the Raymond Phillips Junior Building as scheduled on Aug. 22 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. This group is separated into vegetables; potatoes; fruits; gourds; biggest entry of those; home supplies — such as quart jar of dried apples, peaches or pears; homemade soap; wine; honey; and eggs, either colored, brown or white.
• Schedule only outdoor events. All indoor events have been canceled for 2020, as have the Fairest of the Fair pageants.
• Mark waiting areas and lines with social distancing signage.
• Provide hand sanitizing stations in highly visible places around the grounds. This has been done in past years because of livestock on the grounds, but will be expanded to new areas this year.
• Ensure bathrooms are sanitized on schedule and stocked with soap for frequent hand-washing by guests.
• Post signage provided by the CDC relating to symptoms of the coronavirus and how to stop the spread of germs.
In relation to Midway and concessionaires, precautionary measures will include:
• Requiring all staff who are in direct contact with another person or guest to wear a face covering. When a barrier, such as a glass sliding window, can be used to separate a worker from a guest, a face covering will not be required.
• Providing training to all of vendor staff concerning safeguards in place, such as social distancing protocol before they interact with guests.
• Screening all employees daily with protocol to be followed if someone has a fever.
• Spreading out rides on the Midway to allow for better social distancing.
• Marking waiting areas and lines with social distancing signage.
• Loading rides with only one party per car. Multiple families and groups will not load together.
• Providing hand sanitizing stations and hand washing stations near rides and stands.
• Cleaning and disinfecting rides and other surfaces that are frequently touched.
• Marking guest flow paths to encourage social distancing.
• Posting extensive signage on health policies, including the CDC poster about spreading germs and COVID symptoms.
• Requiring vendors to follow CDC or the venue’s COVID-19 precautions.
Consumers and guests will be expected to:
• Take extra precaution or refrain from visiting the venue if they are more vulnerable or at-risk for COVID-19 as identified by the CDC, including those who are older than age of 65 or those who have severe underlying medical conditions.
• Follow the guest flow plans that have been laid out throughout the grounds for all guests. “Please do not ask workers for special favors. Guidelines are there for your protection,” a spokesman said.
• Wait outside the restroom until an attendant clears them for entry. Wash hands with soap and water before leaving the bathroom.
• Be respectful of the social distancing guidelines as they choose their seating at events and stand in lines.
• Use hand sanitizer where they see it displayed. “It is there for you.”
• Use good judgement to be aware of their surroundings at all times to better protect their family.
• Be kind to others who are visiting the fair and represent Obion County well.
Owners of Amusement Attractions were on hand at the fair board meeting Monday night and reported that all of their crew are healthy right now and they passed their inspection in Murfreesboro last week and “with flying colors.”
“The inspector said they are doing best practices, which are above and beyond what Tennessee requires,” a spokesman said.
The fair board’s release said, “Again, this decision was not made quickly or without months of planning by our volunteer board members. Our state has encouraged ‘staycations’ as they realize that people are traveling outside of Tennessee every day in order to take part in events and activities. This is a way to give them something fun to do right here at home as we continue our commitment to agriculture and the youth of Obion County.”