2020 State Fair Of Virginia Canceled Due To Coronavirus

DOSWELL, VA — The State Fair of Virginia won't be held for the first time in decades due to the coronavirus pandemic. It would have been held Sept. 25 through Oct. 4, 2020 at the Meadow Event Park in Caroline County. A modified State Fair 4-H Livestock Show will take place.

Established in 1854, the state fair has been a longtime tradition showcasing Virginia's agricultural and natural resources industries. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the last cancellations happened during World War II and the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic.

The state fair's website cites a capacity limit of 1,000 for fairs and events under the Forward Virginia reopening guidelines. Combined with other public health guidelines such as social distancing, face masks, and temperature checks, organizers didn't think a state fair was feasible. In 2019, the fair drew nearly 245,000 people.

"This was a difficult decision, but safety is our number one priority," said Marlene Jolliffe, the state fair’s executive director. "We’ve spent months developing plans and scenarios that would allow us to still host the fair this year, but with the ever-changing, unpredictable COVID-19 situation, we just couldn’t make it work."

Details of the livestock show will be announced at a later time at www.statefairva.org. The 2021 state fair is set for Sept. 24 through Oct. 3.