Minnesotans could learn fate of state fair Friday

Friday, Minnesotans could learn the fate of this year’s Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Last year, the Minnesota State Fair set new attendance records, but that’s all in limbo for 2020 due to COVID-19.

A video conference is scheduled for Friday morning; at this point, it’s unclear whether a decision will be made on this year’s fair.

Minnesota State Fair board to discuss future of 2020 fair Friday

Last month, board members said they were not considering a shorter schedule or any restrictions.

2020 State Fair’s fate still unclear but don’t expect restrictions, changes if it happens

The board will have to decide whether to cancel the popular event for only the sixth time in its history, going back to before the Civil War.

The annual, 12-day tradition in August typically brings in more than 2 million visitors, which is a concern this year, state officials said.

While some fairs across the country have already been canceled, state fairs in other places—like Wisconsin, Iowa and Texas—are still up in the air.

Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner, Jan Malcolm, was asked about the Minnesota State Fair at the daily news conference Thursday.

She said the state could be past the projected July peak of the COVID-19 outbreak by the time of the fair, but the pandemic would be far from over.

"Unfortunately, everything we know, everything we see, even if we are past the peak, which we expect to be, there would still be a great, great deal of community spread and a great risk of transmission," Malcolm said.

The fair’s general manager has said the board will not decide until it’s necessary.

The event hasn’t been canceled since the polio epidemic in 1946.