South Dakota State Fair Will Go On, With Some Changes

The South Dakota Department of Agriculture announced this week that the South Dakota State Fair in Huron will continue as planned. The dates for the fair remain unchanged, running from September 3rd through the 7th.

South Dakota will likely be one of the few Midwestern states to hold a state fair this year. The North Dakota State Fair canceled in early May, Minnesota, and Wisconsin in late May, Iowa is still undetermined at this time, and Nebraska is moving forward with their fair.

Although the State Fair will take place this summer, it will be very different than in years past. As they pointed on in a recent Facebook post, the COVID- 19 pandemic presents many challenges for the fair board to solve before the event gets underway in just 3 months.

Peggy Besch, South Dakota State Fair Director said in a statement on Facebook:

“We are very excited to continue our planning for the 2020 South Dakota State Fair, We know that this will look a lot different than previous years, but our highest priority is to ensure we are implementing measures so guests, participants, and the community can take the precautions necessary to stay healthy.”

What will some of those differences be? Well, for starters, the fair will be working diligently to ensure that all CDC guidelines are implemented in time for the fair. Including, hygiene and sanitation, as well as more stringent social distancing practices.

For more information on this year's fair and to get updates on any changes that may be made, follow the South Dakota State Fair on Facebook, or visit their website