KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri State Fair will only consist of a youth livestock show for 2020, organizers announced Friday.
The Aug. 13-23 event will cater to 4-H and FFA members exhibiting livestock, and all other activities will be canceled.
Organizers cited increased cases of COVID-19 in the state of Missouri for one reason the fair was altered.
Sanitation and public health precautions will be put in place for the livestock show.
Another contributing factor is having sponsors and vendors pull out due to COVID-19, making it harder to host the event.
Refunds will be available where applicable.
In a statement Friday afternoon, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said he was appreciative of the fair maintaining the youth livestock show.
"As a farmer myself, the Missouri State Fair is very near and dear to me," Parson said in a statement to 41 Action News. "The COVID-19 pandemic has canceled many events around the world, and we wanted to be sure the Missouri State Fair’s youth shows weren’t one of those. It is truly agriculture’s biggest family reunion, and we are proud to offer youth livestock shows in 2020. Just like a young person’s educational path, we are dedicated to making sure youth in agriculture get the opportunity to have a real-world experience caring for their livestock.”
