LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky State Fair begins Thursday, a tradition that typically draws more than half-a-million visitors each year. But in 2020, the Kentucky Exposition Center will host a fraction of that number.
What You Need To Know
- Kentucky State Fair to begin Thursday
- This year's fair activities are reduced, only allowing participants in livestock competitions
- Livestock entries in 2020 are down significantly for 2019
Fair entertainment, live musical performances, midway and carnival food vendors are all canceled. In fact, the fair is limited to only a few livestock competitions.
“We don’t have any out-of-state people here. The competition is really slim,” Lily Roadcap told Spectrum News 1. Roadcap, her brother, and cousin are prepping 10 cows for a competition that won’t be as robust.
According to David Beck, the President of Kentucky Venues, 2019’s fair was brimming with more than 11-thousand livestock entries, but this year, it’s down to 3,600.
Roadcap says, unfortunately, certain restrictions have forced some families to stay home.
“You can’t stay the night in the barn. Most people have to get a hotel or bring a camper and that gets expensive so some people can’t afford to do that. And you can’t cook in here so you have to go out to eat every night,” Roadcap said.
“It’s pretty much like a closed show this year. You have to be registered to come in, X many members of the families get armbands,” Beck said.
The events that are happening are “participant only.”
The limited fair will go from Aug. 20 to Aug. 30.