2020 Bloomsburg Fair canceled

BLOOMSBURG — The Bloomsburg Fair has been canceled, according to a release on the fair’s Facebook page.

The announcement was made on Tuesday afternoon. While the fair’s organizers had previously announced plans to push ahead in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tuesday’s post indicates that the challenges of keeping the fair safe were simply too much.

“After much deliberation, local community concerns and concerns from the local government, the Board has made the decision to cancel the 2020 Bloomsburg Fair,” the announcement reads. “This was a very difficult decision, but our concern for the health and safety of our community outweighs our desire to host this year’s fair.”

The post goes on to say that the Bloomsburg Fair Association is committed to the safety of the entire region.

Now, the association says it has already begun the process to plan next year’s fair to make it as good — and safe — as possible.

“Many entertainers have already agreed to perform on our grandstand stage in 2021, new and impressive free entertainment is planned, many innovative surprises will delight families, and, of course, all of our traditional food, livestock, and educational opportunities will be available for all to experience at our 2021 Bloomsburg Fair, to be held from September 24 through October 2,” the post reads.

“So, although many in our community will miss the fair, we look forward to providing a safe, secure and healthy event next year,” it concludes.

The 2020 Bloomsburg Fair was scheduled to be the 165th in the fair’s history. The yearly fair attracts 1,100 vendors, according to the fair’s post on Tuesday, along with thousands of other exhibitions and local artists.

The Bloomsburg Fair recently made headlines after a post on the fair’s Facebook page showed a man dressed as Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine in a dunk tank, with the post being criticized by LGBTQ+ groups as transphobic.