For the first time since World War II, the Ohio State Fair won鈥檛 go on as scheduled. The fair was set to start on July 29.
鈥淚t hurts me for cancelling, but it鈥檚 the right thing to do," said General Manager Virgil Strickler.
Strickler sounded dejected in announcing that after two months of internal discussion, state fair commissioners have decided to cancel the fair鈥檚 12-day run, which brings in an average of 900,000 visitors.
鈥淟et鈥檚 say at 50 percent even, that鈥檚 450,000 people, around there. It鈥檚 just too scary. It鈥檚 too big of a mass gathering,鈥� said Strickler.
Strickler said since the fairgrounds hosts around 200 events, the fair couldn鈥檛 be postponed, and vendors need to plan.
The fair has a budget of around $7 million, and a rainy day fund of a million dollars. Strickler said the state fair has made money for 18 years, after several years of money-losing fairs and financial problems for the Ohio Expositions Commission in the '90s.
Strickler said it鈥檚 up to counties whether they鈥檒l hold junior fairs where kids usually compete to go on to the state fair. Fair boards in Franklin, Jackson and Warren Counties have announced they will hold modified junior fairs.
DeWine has said several times he's a huge fan of the fair. At his daily briefing he said he'd been notified this decision was coming, and that this is a "sad day" and is difficult for junior fair competitors and their families.
Strickler said the Expo Commission is now working on planning the 2021 Ohio State Fair, scheduled for July 28-August 8.
It鈥檚 the first time since 1945 that the fair has been cancelled. The fair was called off from 1942 to 1945 while the fairgrounds were used for the war effort.
DeWine and then had , the mother of Tyler Jarrell, who died when a midway ride fell apart on the first day of the fair in 2017. DeWine had after that tragedy, which also resulted in a new state law requiring stronger fair ride standards and improved inspections.
Last year, DeWine had also appointed , which is just three miles away from downtown Columbus. The state is still negotiating with the Columbus Crew major league soccer team and the city of Columbus over land that the team and the city want to use for a training facility and a sports park. The Crew's Mapfre Stadium is adjacent to the fairgrounds.
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