Lancaster County Super Fair plans modified for 2020

The Lancaster County Agricultural Society voted in its regular monthly board meeting on Thursday, April 16th to focus this year’s 150th Lancaster County Super Fair solely on preparing the fairgrounds to support Nebraska Extension’s efforts to deliver the best experience possible for the 4-H/FFA youth exhibitor participation while following the latest health guidelines that may be in effect later in the summer.

The public 150th celebration planned at the 2020 Lancaster County Super Fair has been postponed to 2021 (see details below). This will free up additional indoor and outdoor spaces that may be used to allow the approximately 800 4-H/FFA exhibitors to spread out with their 5,000 entries to operate more safely during the scheduled 4-H/FFA Days from July 30 – August 2, 2020.

With the uncertainty of the next few months during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agricultural Society discussed at length whether to continue planning and investing in a 150th community celebration in 2020, not knowing if the public will be allowed to attend or feel safe to gather at that time. Other major factors were estimates of lower
attendance revenues leaving costs that could not be covered by fair reserve funds, and the desire to fully celebrate the fair’s 150th anniversary together as a community in 2021. The Agricultural Society, like parents with kids getting married or graduating in 2020, wants to include all Lancaster County families in the ultimate celebration of the fair’s 150-year history as health guidelines hopefully allow in 2021.

Overall, the Agricultural Society also took into consideration that COVID-19 creates unpredictable circumstances surrounding event planning. Last-minute changes to health guidelines will still be possible after gatherings begin to be allowed which becomes more difficult for the remaining smaller staff at the fairgrounds to be able to adjust. As well, the Board wanted to allow the Nebraska Extension team the maximum planning time possible to be prepared to offer the 4-H/FFA participation in whatever format that might be possible.

President Kendra Ronnau said, “With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting public gatherings this year, the Agricultural Society Board wanted our Lancaster County 4-H/FFA youth to be the single focus of this year’s 150th Lancaster County Super Fair.”

The plan is for the full public celebration of the 150th Lancaster County fair scheduled to run over 10 days from July 30-August 8, 2020 to be postponed until the 2021 Super Fair. This means the outdoor fair events such as the Heart of America midway & carnival, food vendors, Froggy 98 Music & Entertainment Series on the Pepsi Main Stage, and Motor Mania events will not occur during the 2020 Super Fair. Indoors, numerous fairgoer participation such as Open Static, Open Livestock and the annual Lancaster County Farm Bureau Pedal Tractor Pull, Big Wheel Races & Fun at the Farm zone will be postponed as well as the commercial vendor booths & Family Fun Zone in the Multipurpose Arena.

Over the coming weeks, the Lancaster County Agricultural Society Board will continue to support the work of the Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County to determine how the annual 4-H/FFA participation can go forward safely as scheduled July 30 to August 2, 2020. In the event a traditional 4-H/FFA county fair experience cannot be held in person, alternative plans are being considered by the Nebraska Extension team.