Bureau County is cancelling its 165th annual fair due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The County Fair Board announced the cancellation on Friday, July 3rd, after almost a year of fair preperation.
“The Fair Board and I have spent many hours and resources to ensure that the 2020 Bureau County Fair would be the high quality fair our communities have come to expect. However, the safety and health of our volunteers and fairgoers is our top priority” said Fair Board President, Kyle Burrows.
The cancellation includes all fair and non-fair events, excluding the Martina McBride Concert, which has been rescheduled for Thursday, August 26th.
It's the second time in the county fair's 165-year history that the event has been cancelled, with the first time being during the Civil War in 1862.
The Bureau County Fair Board also says that fair plans for 2021 are underway.