KENTUCKY — This week marks the first day of the fall semester for most college students in the Commonwealth, the final chance for vaccinated Kentuckians to win $1 million and the return of a popular music festival. Here is a look at what's happening this week in Kentucky.

Many Kentucky college students begin the fall semester this week. Monday marks the first day of classes at the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Western Kentucky University and Northern Kentucky University. 

Eastern Kentucky University started the fall semester last week.

In the wake of rising COVID-19 cases, there will be safety measures in place to try to curb the spread. What those measures will specifically entail varies campus-to-campus.

Universal masking will be required in buildings on all of those campuses for the start of the fall semester. The presidents of all of Kentucky’s public four-year universities, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and the Council on Postsecondary Education issued a joint statement Friday, Aug. 6, saying all schools will require masks regardless of vaccination status. 

Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education President Dr. Aaron Thompson said he was hoping it would be a more normal school year without mask requirements, but that wasn't possible given the current community spread of COVID-19. He said Kentucky’s public colleges and universities are used to pivoting plans when necessary. Thompson said last year, Kentucky’s colleges and universities had lower positivity rates than the communities around them.

“The reason why is we are focused heavily on making sure students stay safe,” said Thompson. “As the delta variant is clearly excelling and communities went into the red zone and it looked like that was going to continue in that way, we wanted to make sure we could open our public institutions to give the kind of academic social, emotional and cultural environment that our students ask for.”

Thompson wants it to be clear that they can take the mask mandate away. He said he looks forward to rescinding the mask requirements on Kentucky college and university campuses when it is safe to do so.

With the delta variant driving a COVID-19 surge, Gov. Andy Beshear continues his push to get more Kentuckians vaccinated.

The final Shot at a Million winners will be announced Friday. One vaccinated Kentuckian will win $1 million and five others will receive full college scholarships. 

The first drawing took place July 2 and the second drawing took place July 30.

There was a short spike in vaccinations after Beshear first announced the Shot at a Million vaccination incentive.

Vaccinated Kentuckians can still register for a chance to win.

The two-day Raiblird Festival this weekend will have COVID-19 precautions in place. People will have to show proof of a full COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test result to get into the event.

1. Each day, festival-goers must bring a printed copy of their vaccine card, vaccine record or printed negative COVID-19 test. It must show the date of the test.
2. Patrons should bring their festival wristband
3. Unvaccinated visitors are asked to wear a mask the entire time at the festival

The Railbird Festival is Aug. 28-29 at the Grounds at Keeneland. The 2020 Railbird Festival was canceled because of COVID-19. This year's headliners are My Morning Jacket on Saturday and the Dave Matthews Band on Sunday. You can find the full lineup on the festival's website.

The Kentucky State Fair continues this week. It kicked off Thursday, marking the first full-service fair since 2019. In 2020, the fair was modified because of COVID-19. 

Masks are required to enter any of the Kentucky Exposition Center buildings. Masks are optional outside.

The fair runs through Aug. 29. You can purchase tickets and find a list of events on the Kentucky State Fair's website.