Coronavirus Uncertainty: Planning For Stanislaus County Fair Cautiously Moving Forward
TURLOCK (CBS13) — Organizers for the Stanislaus County Fair say they are cautiously moving forward with planning for the event as social distancing guidelines have been extended.
The fair is scheduled to start on July 10 and run for 10 days. However, on Tuesday, nationwide social distancing guidelines prohibiting large events to try and stem the coronavirus outbreak were extended to April 30.
Fair organizers met on Tuesday and decided to continue planning the fair, albeit cautiously.
"Our priority is our community's health and safety as well as our staff as we get busier with planning," said Matt Cranford, chief operating officer of the Stanislaus County Fair, in a release. "We are cautiously monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak and are complying with all safety measures from CDC as well as our State and county emergency officials."
Many factors are at play, organizers say, that will affect if the fair can continue.
Organizers say they are working to keep the fairgrounds ready in case it needs to be used as a makeshift hospital or logistical facility to help with the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier in March, officials with the California State Fair - which is scheduled to start on July 17 - also said they would also continue to prepare for the summer event. Larger events at Cal Expo had been canceled or postponed through the end of March.
