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2020 Hillsborough County Fair Announces Restricted Opening

August 17, 2020

By: Staff Report, PR

DOVER, Fla. – The 2020 Hillsborough County Fair scheduled for Oct 22-Nov 1, 2020 will be having a restricted fair opening for the 2020 Fair.

The board of directors voted to modify the fair events this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic to hold only the Youth Livestock Shows and the Harvest Queen Scholarship Pageant.

In a release Monday, the board said, “This was an extremely difficult decision to make and was driven by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We felt the decision was necessary to help protect the fair staff, volunteers, fair-goers, and all vested parties. Now and always, the health and safety of our guests, participants, and community must be our highest priority. Our hearts are heavy knowing we cannot gather for our annual celebration of agriculture, education, and exhibits.”

fair
SOURCE: Hillsborough County Fair Facebook Page

“After much consideration, the Fair Board will move forward with planning the Youth Livestock Shows and the Harvest Queen Scholarship Pageant. All other aspects of the fair will be postponed until 2021,” said the release.

The Youth Livestock Shows and Sales will still be held from Oct 22-Nov 1, 2020, but with a modified schedule that will be released soon. The Livestock Committee is working diligently to plan a livestock show that will adhere to the CDC recommendations for youth livestock shows at county fairs. All aspects for the youth livestock shows will take place, except for the Youth Rabbit Show. Exhibitors for the youth rabbit show will be notified by the livestock director and all entry fees paid will be refunded. The livestock committee will release an updated schedule and modified rules that will encompass the CDC recommendations for the shows and sales. These shows will be closed shows open only to the exhibitor and their families. The fair will broadcast the youth livestock shows via their Facebook page.

Information will be released in the next few weeks on the fair’s website, Facebook page, and emailed directly to those exhibitors that have already registered for this year’s youth livestock shows and sales.

If you have any questions about the youth livestock shows you can email the Livestock Director, Serena Stratton at rena70@aol.com or the Fair Manager, Suzanne Holcomb at suzane@hillsboroughcountyfair.com.

Registration for the breeding shows will remain open until October 1, 2020, and the entry rules and information will be updated soon on the website at www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com.

The Harvest Queen Scholarship pageant will take place on Saturday, Sept. 19 as originally planned. If you are a contestant in the scholarship pageant you will be notified via email from the pageant committee with the specific guidelines we will follow for the pageant. The pageant will also be a closed event only open to the contestants, their families and the judges. This is for the protection for our contestants, volunteers and the community.

If you have any questions about the scholarship pageant, you can contact the Pageant Director, Kelli Messick or contact the Fair Manager, Suzanne Holcomb at suzanne@hillsboroughcountyfair.com.

“Though we are very sad that the 2020 Hillsborough County Fair will not take place in its normal fashion, we are glad that we can continue with the Youth Livestock Shows and Harvest Queen Scholarship Pageant, as the board feels these two events are the foundation of the fair and provide a great service to the youth in our community. The Hillsborough County Fair Board of Directors, staff, and over 250 volunteers will continue to plan for a 2021 Fair. We will update the fair’s website soon with the dates for the 2021 Hillsborough County Fair,” said the release.

For more information, please contact:
Hillsborough County Fair
Fair Manager
Suzanne Holcomb
813-737-FAIR
suzanne@hillsboroughcountyfair.com

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