Sacramento County Fair to return to Cal Expo after 2 years of COVID-19 cancellations
The Elk Grove Western Festival is once again canceled this year due to COVID concerns
The Elk Grove Western Festival is once again canceled this year due to COVID concerns
The Elk Grove Western Festival is once again canceled this year due to COVID concerns
The Sacramento County Fair is returning this May after being canceled the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual event will be held on the grounds of Cal Expo from May 26 to May 30. Cal Expo CEO Rick Pickering told KCRA 3 California’s improving situation in dealing with the virus is why the fair is returning. The theme this year is “BIGGER," but for Pickering, it is also about just being able to come together.
"We expect people will want to come out and eat together, be seen together,” Pickering said. "Part of the celebration is coming together, people coming back out of COVID. We're looking forward to more than 100,000 people from the region."
This year, there will be a dinosaur exhibit, tribute band performances and the return of 4-H and FAA. But some things will be a little different, such as more hand-washing and hand- sanitizing stations.
"As much as people want to be out and interact with each other, I think we're all more conscious of the hand-washing and hand-sanitizing, keeping some level of distance,” Pickering said.
But other big events in our region, such as the Elk Grove Western Festival, are not returning this year. Festival Board President Ken Johnston said he and his team had COVID-19 concerns, as did sponsors and entertainment acts.
Johnston said that delayed the permitting process. Pulling the plug on the May event for the third year in a row was a tough pill for him to swallow.
"It's really a hard decision to make and get everything in place to where you feel you can put on a real safe and fun event,” Johnston said. "At this late date, it's hard to get all those things in place and to have the entertainment."
Instead, Johnston said organizers are taking this extra time to focus on their 2023 event.
| RELATED | California State Fair to return to Cal Expo in 2022