No county fair this year due to virus
Livestock auction slated to be held online this year
The 75th annual Howard County Fair, originally scheduled for Aug. 8 to 15, has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Howard County Fair board of directors announced Wednesday.
“After a much-discussed, difficult decision, the 2020 Howard County Fair has been canceled,” a post on the Howard County Fairgrounds’ website reads.
The Howard County Fairgrounds have been closed since March when Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan put a stay-at-home order in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19. As businesses and restaurants have been allowed to reopen as some restrictions have been lifted, the fairgrounds have remained closed to the public.
Popular events such as the Maryland Sportsman and Outdoor Show, Howard County Antique Farm Equipment Auction, and Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival have already been canceled or postponed in the past few months at the fairgrounds.
“Myself and the board were very much looking forward to this year’s fair. It was going to be our 75th anniversary fair, which would have been a big deal for us. But with all of the events surrounding the COVID-19 virus, we thought it was best for the safety of all to not have the fair activities this year,”
Mickey Day, president of the Howard County Fair board of directors, said in an interview.
“We looked at a lot of options, especially with how to socially distance people. It’s usually very crowded, and that was something we didn’t think we’d be able to overcome,” Day said. “… The concern really changed in the last few weeks because there have been some more outbreaks around the country. We surely don’t want to see outbreaks here, and we don’t want to contribute to that.”
As of Wednesday, there have been at least 2,723 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Howard County, according to the state Department of Health. There have been at least 87 deaths.
According to the post, there will be a handful of online events, including the annual livestock auction. However, these will be private events and will require registration.
The fair’s popular livestock sale will open online to bidders on Aug. 13 and close Aug. 14. Prospective buyers can register and bid at auctions.thewendtgroup.com/ auction/9112.
There also will be youth livestock shows for young people, including those who had
“After a much-discussed, difficult decision, the 2020 Howard County Fair has been canceled,” a post on the Howard County Fairgrounds’ website reads.
The Howard County Fairgrounds have been closed since March when Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan put a stay-at-home order in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19. As businesses and restaurants have been allowed to reopen as some restrictions have been lifted, the fairgrounds have remained closed to the public.
Popular events such as the Maryland Sportsman and Outdoor Show, Howard County Antique Farm Equipment Auction, and Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival have already been canceled or postponed in the past few months at the fairgrounds.
“Myself and the board were very much looking forward to this year’s fair. It was going to be our 75th anniversary fair, which would have been a big deal for us. But with all of the events surrounding the COVID-19 virus, we thought it was best for the safety of all to not have the fair activities this year,”
Mickey Day, president of the Howard County Fair board of directors, said in an interview.
“We looked at a lot of options, especially with how to socially distance people. It’s usually very crowded, and that was something we didn’t think we’d be able to overcome,” Day said. “… The concern really changed in the last few weeks because there have been some more outbreaks around the country. We surely don’t want to see outbreaks here, and we don’t want to contribute to that.”
As of Wednesday, there have been at least 2,723 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Howard County, according to the state Department of Health. There have been at least 87 deaths.
According to the post, there will be a handful of online events, including the annual livestock auction. However, these will be private events and will require registration.
The fair’s popular livestock sale will open online to bidders on Aug. 13 and close Aug. 14. Prospective buyers can register and bid at auctions.thewendtgroup.com/ auction/9112.
There also will be youth livestock shows for young people, including those who had
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