Santa Barbara County Fair canceled due to coronavirus concerns

For the first time since World War II, the axe has fallen on the 2020 Santa Barbara County Fair, but exhibitors will be able to sell their animals at a virtual auction.

On Tuesday afternoon, the 37th District Agricultural Association Board of Directors voted to cancel the 129th event planned for July 15-19 at the Santa Maria Fairpark.

Chief Executive Officer Richard Persons said the carnival operator did not plan to attend and performers expressed uncertainty since other events on their summer circuit had been dropped, making it likely they would need more money to perform on the Central Coast.

Additionally, he said it didn’t appear Santa Barbara County was ready to adjust public health orders allowing the fair and large gatherings to occur.

“All the way through we’re running into barriers that will prevent that event from happening in any semblance of the county fair that we are all used to,” Persons said.

The action translates into a huge economic hit. The fair generates more than $14 million in direct economic impact in the community, Persons told Noozhawk. Additionally, the fair hires some 450 part-time employees with several hundred more hired by the carnival, food concessions, commercial exhibitors, and other companies providing services during the event.

The action doesn’t come as a surprise and follows cancellation of the California State Fair in Sacramento, the California Mid-State Fair next month in San Luis Obispo County and the Santa Barbara Fair & Expo.

The Fairpark also called off the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival planned for late April, with hopes of holding a similar event this fall.

Loss of the fair and the Strawberry Festival will be significant since both events contributed close to 80 percent of the Fairpark’s annual revenue.

Tuesday’s decision means hundreds of youths who belong to 4-H, FFA and Junior Granges and participate in the Junior Livestock Auction must find buyers for their sheep, pigs, goats and cattle.

Expecting cancellation and at the urging of Junior Livestock Association leaders, some youths are already soliciting individual buyers through social media posts and other avenues.

“Between the board, the staff and the JLA, we are really excited to offer a virtual auction to the exhibitors,” Deputy Manager Autumn Acquistapace said.

She said the auction would be set up on the ShoWorks platform and would allow exhibitors who had entered this year’s fair to upload photos, videos and biographies.

“The auction is really just designed to match sellers and buyers and will be a live pickup only,” Acquistapace said, adding it felt the most equitable approach.

The online auction is aiming for June 19, 20, and 21, with details still being finalized.

“It’s really going to be a marketing skill for these kids to be able to sell their product and sell themselves,” Acquistapace said.

Animals that go to resale or don’t sell through private methods or the online auction will have alternatives, thanks to assistance from the San Joaquin Valley, she added.

The Fresno Livestock Auction has agreed to take the pigs, sheep and goats, with animals to be picked up in Templeton and sold at live auction in Fresno for a per-head price.

“I’m hoping that all kids’ animals sell and they’re going to market the heck out of their animals to get the best price they can for it,” Acquistapace said.

The Visalia Livestock Auction has agreed to take unsold cattle, which will be picked up in Buellton and sold at a live auction in Tulare County.

The fair projects provide lessons in responsibility since they raise and care for animals to be ready to show them in the rings. A well-raised animal can lead to a better sales price for youths who hope to cover purchase, feed and other costs — plus earn a profit from their projects.

The Fairpark board also voted to refund all entry fees, including for junior livestock exhibitors, wine competition and others already paid.

Fairpark leaders still hope to hold a fall festival in October to make up for the lack of revenues from the Strawberry Festival and other events.

“I’m optimistic that we’ll be able to do that,” Persons said. “The fact that the county’s allowed us to reopen the swap meet moves a long way in that direction, I think.”

The West Coast Kustoms Cruisin’ Nationals car show, typically held over Memorial Day weekend, now is targeting for October, and Persons said it should be able to occur since social distancing can take place.