The 2020 Luzerne County Fair has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, fair organizers announced Monday.
The fair, which had been scheduled for Sept. 9-13 at the county fairgrounds in Lehman Twp., will not be held in the interest of public safety and well-being, the fair committee said in a news release.
It would also be impossible to operate the fair in accordance with the maximum of 250 people allowed for gatherings in counties that are in the green phase of the state’s plan to reopen following pandemic-related shutdown, the fair committee said.
“While we all crave a return to a sense of normalcy, we must take into consideration the effects social gatherings will have on our communities,” the news release states. “COVID-19 has taken a significant toll on all of us. The Luzerne County Fair Committee has had many long and realistic conversations about opening, gathering facts, and seeking advice from industry experts. The decision was not taken lightly, weighing the pros and cons along the way. … Our decision came down to what is most important to us. The health and well-being of our fairgoers, the safety and respect of our community and of course fiscal responsibility to our Community Service Clubs who own and operate our organization.”
The fair will be back “stronger than ever” in 2021, the news release states.
