It was announced Monday that Husker Harvest Days, the working farm show held each fall near Grand Island, will not be held this year. However, on Tuesday it was announced The Nebraska State Fair Board had voted to hold a 2020 state fair showcasing 4-H and FFA competitions and exhibitions. While the fair will look different than it has in the past, it will provide an opportunity for young people to showcase the work they have been doing throughout the year.
The 2020 state fair will include 4-H and FFA livestock competitions, contests, presentations and static exhibits.
“All events and activities will follow the most up-to-date directive health measures,” said Beth Smith, board chair for Nebraska State Fair. The focus of the 2020 Nebraska State Fair will be on 4-H and FFA.
In addition to the youth events, visitors can partake in Raising Nebraska, an interactive space dedicated to the food and the families that grow it as well as a variety of Nebraska Game and Parks activities. Depending on Grand Island’s phase progress, there is the potential to include more concessions, amusement rides, motor sport activities and taverns.
Gate admission will be free.
The State Fair will provide an additional $30,000 to manage cleaning and sanitizing throughout the event. The current plan is for restrooms to be cleaned at minimum once every two hours with full-time restroom attendants present. The frequency and number of attendants will adjust to the crowd size.
The large concerts including, Jon Pardi on Sept. 3, Dustin Lynch on Sept. 4, the dual show of Clay Walker and Clint Black on Sept. 6 have been cancelled. In addition, the tour canceled the Big Rock Summer Tour featuring Ratt, Skid Row and Quiet Riot. Advanced sales of concert and gate admission tickets will be refunded through Etix. Questions regarding refunds should be directed to Etix at www.etix.com.
Traditionally, the Nebraska State Fair is an annual 11-day event. In recent years it has been held in Grand Island with the last day being Labor Day. This is the 151st year for the fair.
Last year rain nearly washed out the fair.
Nebraska Extension began adapting 2020 4-H programming to virtual formats back in March, when social distancing and other directed health measures were first put in place. At the same time, extension professionals began planning for the possibility of adapting events for both county fairs and the Nebraska State Fair to adhere to health directives.
While many details have yet to be finalized, some decisions about what 4-H and FFA events will look like at the 2020 Nebraska State Fair have been made. These include:
4-H and FFA livestock shows will take place on separate weekends, with the 4-H shows taking place the first weekend of the fair and FFA shows Labor Day weekend. Youth dairy events will be held jointly on Labor Day weekend. Entry quotas for livestock will remain the same.
All livestock will be released upon completion of showing. Static exhibits will be on display for the public to view and will also be shown virtually.
Details with regard to what livestock shows, public speaking and other live events, and static exhibits will look like at this year’s fair are still being worked out.
Nebraska has one of the highest 4-H participation rates in the nation, with one in three (a total of more than 140,000) youth engaged in the program statewide.
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