As several town festivals have cancelled their plans this summer as a precaution for COVID-19, some may wonder where county fairs currently stand.

Three county fairs in Iowa have postponed so far with Wapello, Linn and Benton returning in 2021. Guthrie County Fair takes place annually during Labor Day weekend, and Fair Board President Tyler Carney shares his current mindset for the event, “Being that the Guthrie County Fair is one of the last three fairs in the state as far as the county fairs go we do have time on our side. But with that being said, you can’t plan enough for something like this.”

Carney says the Board is waiting to see what decisions are made for fairs that occur in June and July, and that the Board is already curbing their purchases this year and not spending beyond their means in case they would have to cancel. He adds that the Board has some contingency plans in case COVID-19 remains a valid threat through the summer, he just hopes they don’t have to use them.