COLUMBUS, Ind. — Plans are moving ahead for the 63rd annual Bartholomew County 4-H Fair to be held early this summer, even as the pandemic continues.
The fair is tentatively scheduled to be June 25 to July 3. This would be the 64th Bartholomew County Fair if COVID-19 hadn’t prompted the 2020 fair to be canceled.
New fair board president Rick Trimpe says last year’s decision to cancel left several nonprofits, churches and organizations — including the Fair Board — on shaky financial ground.
Last year, members of the fair board were forced to conduct fundraisers such as fish fries that they’ve never undertaken before, Trimpe said.
“That tells you we’re hurting,” the fair board president said.
The fair board’s second largest source of revenue after the fair — facility rentals — also dried up as a result of the pandemic.
Most weddings, class reunions and large-scale events such as the Columbus Scottish Festival would have brought in more people than state COVID-19 restrictions allowed.
Since big events weren’t allowed for most of 2020, the buildings didn’t get rented, Trimpe said.
“There’s no way around it,” according to Trimpe. “We have to have a fair this year. And our intention, as of right now, is to have a normal county fair.”
For the complete story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
