Big Fresno Fair could be canceled. Here’s what health officials say needs to happen
The Big Fresno Fair is scheduled to happen later this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, but that’s dependent on if residents can get their act together and slow the spread of the deadly virus, according to health officials.
Fair officials announced Monday the popular annual event would not feature concerts this year because Fresno County officials did not clear the Paul Paul Theater for safety concerns amid COVID-19.
Monday also marked the day the central San Joaquin Valley topped 20,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The number has spiked in recent weeks after officials said residents had become complacent and started to gather without masks or social distancing.
Officials at the county are working with The Big Fresno Fair and are giving themselves until the end of the month to see if it can continue, according to Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s interim health officer.
“We tried to work out as best as we can what will be safe, but we realized it’s still a little too early to determine if the curve will be flat,” he said Monday. “I think that by the end of this month, we’ll come to a decision.”
Fair officials may have options to hold the fair with some new safety regulations, postpone the event or cancel it altogether, Vohra said.
The dashboard that tracks Fresno County’s COVID-19 numbers shows an infection rate of 10% in the county, in terms of the percentage of tested people who get a positive result. The rate across California is about 7.7%.
State officials have put Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Madera and Merced on the state’s watch list for regions where the coronavirus spread is not in check.
“This data is indicating we need to do more as a community. We need to do more as a state,” Vohra said. “We need to do more right here in Fresno County in order to get our numbers under better control.”
The new safety procedures go for any show or event planning to use the Fresno Fairgrounds, officials said.
Concerts canceled
The annual concert series had already booked Becky G., Ezra Ray Hart, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and the Isley Brothers.
Refunds will automatically be issued beginning July 15, though they may take up to 10 days to show on the credit card.
“The Big Fresno Fair is our community’s fair. We are committed to being here for our community in some capacity and will continue to find ways to connect, give back and keep part of the Fair tradition alive, while upholding the health and safety of our Fairgoers, staff and community,” said Stacy Rianda, a fair deputy manager.
This story was originally published July 13, 2020 at 6:52 PM.
