A much different Park County Fair arrives this week

Free outdoor concert, fireworks show set for Saturday evening

Posted 7/21/20

While it’s not the event that anyone expected or would have preferred, the Park County Fair will go on this week — and it will end with a bang.

The 2020 fair begins with sheep shows at …

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A much different Park County Fair arrives this week

Free outdoor concert, fireworks show set for Saturday evening

Posted

While it’s not the event that anyone expected or would have preferred, the Park County Fair will go on this week — and it will end with a bang.

The 2020 fair begins with sheep shows at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, followed by goats in the afternoon and then beef, swine and rabbit shows on Thursday and Friday. Spectators are welcome at any of the market shows (though social distancing is requested) with four local food vendors on-hand for anyone who wants to grab a bite to eat.

The fair will culminate with the Junior Livestock Sale at 1 p.m. Saturday, followed with a free community concert and fireworks show from 6-11 p.m. And that will be it for this year’s fair. Some events have been delayed, with Park County 4-H’s mini horse, dog and cat shows, fashion revue and judging of static exhibits reset for July 30-Aug. 5 (see related story) and a “Smashin’ the COVID Demolition Derby” on Aug. 1.

Gone, however, are grandstand events like pig mud wrestling, the free stage acts and the carnival, all made impossible or unfeasible amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

But from the start, fair and Junior Livestock Sale leaders have been committed to ensuring that youth get their opportunity to showcase and sell their animals at the fair, even though things are different.

Fair leaders also thought it important to host Saturday’s concert, after the traditional entertainment had to be scrapped.

“People are just itching to do something,” Park County Fair Advisory Board Chairman Tiffany Brando said at a meeting earlier this month.

Local bands Blackwater and Bones in the Road are set to perform starting at 6 p.m. The two bands “were really excited about working with each other,” Park County Events Administrator Audra Jewell said earlier this month. “I think that will be good.”

The concert is being held in the wide open grassy area of the fairgrounds that typically hosts the carnival. Attendees are asked to bring their own chairs and blankets.

Following the concert, DSE of Powell will put on a fireworks show, setting off the pyrotechnics from the grandstands for people to watch from other parts of the grounds.

Things are set to wrap up around 11 p.m.

In addition to being on-hand during the week’s livestock shows, food vendors Country Grill, Hickory Street Catering, Andy’s Donuts and Pizza on the Run will offer their wares during the concert. Jewell said the lineup of local vendors will offer “a nice variety.”

“They’re doing us a favor by being here,” she added.

Going along with the recommendation of health officials — who said alcohol and social distancing don’t mix — beer will not be sold at the event.

As part of efforts to slow the spread of the disease, the State of Wyoming has continued to restrict large gatherings. Health officials have generally required precautions to be taken when more than 50 people are present and limited most gatherings to no more than 250 people.

On Monday, however, State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist approved an exception request and exempted Saturday’s concert from the 250-person cap; Brando had asked for permission to allow up to 1,000 people to attend, which she indicated was the maximum expected crowd.

While lifting the cap, Harrist said concert organizers and attendees will need to follow the other state rules, including: having attendees split into groups of no more than six people (preferably of the same household) with 6 feet of distance maintained between groups at all times; prohibiting close contact between members of different households; and thoroughly cleaning the facilities before and after the event, among other conditions.

Fair leaders say they will encourage social distancing, display signs with public health guidelines (including reminding people not to enter if they’re sick), clean restrooms every hour and have hand sanitizing stations readily available.

“Use of face coverings will be at the discretion of attendees,” says the fair’s plan.

Working in conjunction with Park County Health Officer Dr. Aaron Billin, Harrist had already allowed a half-dozen local events to exceed the state’s limits on attendance. The most significant was the Cody Stampede Rodeo, where up to 2,835 spectators were allowed each night.

“Contact tracing has not tied a positive case to any of these events,” Billin said on July 10.

In contrast, he said there have been multiple cases tied to events that complied with limits on the overall size of the gathering, but where attendees largely ignored recommendations on social distancing and face coverings.

“The problem is not that gatherings are occurring. The problem is that mask use and social distancing are being disregarded,” Billin said. “You would think that church attendance would be the perfect situation for viral spread, yet not a single case has been traced back to church attendance. This is because they are generally following guidelines in the State Public Health Orders that have been shown to reduce viral spread.”

Transmission of the novel coronavirus is “vastly reduced” in outdoor settings, Park County Public Health Nurse Manager Bill Crampton told commissioners earlier this month, “but you got a loud band, you got three or four people standing there yelling in each other’s ears, and it still leads to some risk.”

“But life is not without risk,” Crampton said.

Health officials continue to generally remind folks to frequently wash their hands, covering coughs and sneezing, avoid touching their face, wear a mask when in public and to stay home and away from others when feeling ill.

Earlier this month, Park County Commissioner Dossie Overfield said the free concert will offer an opportunity for folks to get outside, visit with others and “remember [the] fair exists.”

Fair leaders have expressed hopes for a much grander affair in July 2021 for the 110th Park County Fair.

“We’ve got to have something to look forward to,” County Buildings and Grounds Superintendent Mike Garza said back in April. “Hopefully things are back to more normal next year.”

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