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The fair was scheduled to take place Oct. 15-25 in Raleigh. Despite the fair's cancelation, there will still be junior livestock shows and horse shows in October.


<b>RALEIGH, N.C.</b> — A group of North Carolina State Fair workers have been furloughed in the wake of the fair being canceled this year.

An official with the fair confirmed that 54 employees, including full and part time, have been furloughed.

Last week, State Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced that the fair, which was scheduled to take place Oct. 15-25, was canceled.

Despite the fair's cancelation, there will still be junior livestock shows and horse shows in October. Troxler said to expect more drive-thru State Fair Food events at the fairgrounds, which have proven to be popular events.

State Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced Wednesday that the 2020 North Carolina State Fair is canceled.

<p>&gt;&gt;&gt; WE INTRO THIS PROGRAM FOR BREAKING NEWS. &gt;&gt;&gt; GOOD MORNING ONCE AGAIN. I'M JEFF HOGAN AND WE ARE GOING STRAIGHT TO A NEWS CONFERENCE WITH AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER, STEVE TROXLER ON THE 2020 NORTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR. &gt;&gt;&gt; WE WILL BE TAKING QUESTIONS AT THE END OF OUR PREPARED COMMENTS. DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING, WE WILL NOT BE DOING ONE ON ONES WHEN WE FINISH SO PLEASE ASK YOUR QUESTIONS WHEN WE OPEN THAT SECTION OF THE PROGRAM. WE HAVE COPIES OF THE PRESS RELEASE AND AS WELL, A FACT SHEET THAT OUR STAFF WILL BE HANDING OUT AS WE FINISH. STRUCK THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR IS A SELF-SUPPORTING ENTERPRISE OF THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES. ANNUALLY, WE SEE ATTENDANCE OF CLOSE TO ONE MILLION PEOPLE EACH OCTOBER. BY FAR, THE STATE FAIR IS THE LARGEST EVENT IN NORTH CAROLINA. OUR STAFF HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK PLANNING THIS YEAR'S EVENT SINCE LAST NOVEMBER. IT HAS BEEN A UNIQUE ENDEAVOR, TO SAY THE LEAST. THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, STEVE TROXLER, TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THIS YEAR'S STATE FAIR. COMMISSIONER TROXLER? &gt;&gt; THANK YOU, KENT AND GOOD MORNING AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WE ARE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND WEARING MASKS AND I THINK WE ARE PLENTY SAFE OUTSIDE. TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE STATE FAIR IS NOT WHAT WE HOPE FOR AND REGRETTABLY, I'M ANNOUNCING TODAY THAT WE WILL NOT BE HAVING THE 2020 NORTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. THE STATE FAIR IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING THAT DRAWS PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE AND EVEN OUTSIDE OUR BORDERS AND IS AN EVENT PEOPLE PLAN AROUND AND PLAN FOR EVERY YEAR. WE KNOW THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SHARE OUR DISAPPOINTMENT IN NOT HAVING A STATE FAIR. THE STATE FAIR IS A MAJOR ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THIS AREA BECAUSE IT DOES DRAW SO MANY PEOPLE. A VENDOR CHARACTERIZED THE STATE FAIR AS THE SUPER BOWL OF FAIRS. THIS IS THE LARGEST EVENT IN NORTH CAROLINA. THIS DECISION NOT ONLY IMPACTS THE STATE FAIR AND OUR TEAM, BUT ALSO AFFECTS VENDORS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND MANY SMALL BUSINESSES. WE ARE HEARTBROKEN FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES, FAMILY FARMS, COMPETITORS, INDIVIDUALS AND EXHIBITORS WILL BE IMPACTED BY THIS DECISION. WE HAD HOPED AND WE PRAYED AND WE HAVE SCHEMED AND WE HAVE THOUGHT AND THOUGHT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION THAT WE CAN MAKE WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AT HAND. AFTER VERY CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, THIS IS REALLY THE ONLY LOGICAL DECISION THAT WE COULD MAKE. WE CONDUCTED A SHORT SURVEY OF PEOPLE WHO PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED TICKETS FOR THE STATE FAIR AND WHAT IT INDICATED WAS AT 65% OF THOSE POLLS SAID THEY WOULD BE HESITANT TO ATTEND THE 2020 NORTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR. IN THE WORDS OF THE GROUP THAT PREPARED THE SURVEY ANALYSIS, IT'S CLEAR FROM THIS DATA THAT ANY STATE FAIR HELD AMID THE PANDEMIC WOULD NOT BE WELL ATTENDED. IN MAKING THIS DECISION, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE CAN CITY THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF BUSINESSES, STAFF AND EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE STATE FAIR. THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY MUST BE THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC AND ANYONE WHO ENTERS THE FAIRGROUNDS. WE'VE LOOKED AT WHAT STAGE WE ARE IN WITH REGARDS TO REOPENING ORDERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDELINES AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE TWO MONTHS FROM NOW BUT THE TREND IS NOT MOVING QUICKLY ENOUGH IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO RETURN TO LARGER GATHERINGS. FINALLY, WE HAVE TO WEIGH THE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE STATE FAIR. FINANCIALLY, THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND, MEANING IT OPERATES ON THE REVENUE THAT IT GENERATES. REVENUE FROM THE PAIR PAYS FOR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS ON THE FAIRGROUNDS TO THE YEAR AND WE DO NOT GIVE AN OPERATIONAL APPROPRIATION FROM THE LEGISLATURE. FOR THIS REASON, WE HAVE TO MAKE SMART BUSINESS DECISIONS REGARDING THIS OPERATION. WE ARE JUST LIKE EVERY PRIVATE BUSINESS THAT HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY THIS PANDEMIC. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PUT ON A FAIR AND HAVE NOBODY SHOW UP. FAIRS ARE EXPENSIVE PROPOSITIONS TO PUT ON AND THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR COST ABOUT 6.8 MILLION DOLLARS TO PRODUCE. AUGUST 16 MARKS THE 60 DAY WINDOW ON THE PLANNED OPENING DAY. WE ARE QUICKLY COMING UP ON THE TIME FRAME WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO CANCEL FAIR CONTRACTS WITH NO PENALTY. WE ARE MAKING THIS DECISION NOW TO AVOID EXPENSES FOR THE EVENT THAT WE RECOGNIZE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN. LIKE MOST PLACES, THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS HAS LOST BUSINESS. WE'VE HAD 186 EVENTS CANCEL THUS FAR THIS YEAR, RESULTING IN A 2.3 MILLION DOLLARS LOSS OF REVENUE. THE DECISION NOT TO OPEN, GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW TODAY, IS THE SMARTEST DECISION WE CAN MAKE, EVEN IF IT'S NOT THE DECISION WE WANT TO MAKE. IT DOESN'T MEAN THERE WON'T BE ACTIVITY ON THE FAIRGROUNDS. AGRICULTURE IS THE HEART OF THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR AND WE ANNOUNCED WE WOULD HAVE JUNIOR LIVESTOCK SHOWS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE HAD THE FAIR OR NOT. WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE ANIMALS THEY ARE WORKING HARD TO GET READY AND TO ACCOMMODATE THE SOCIAL DISTANCING NECESSARY FOR THESE SHOWS. THERE WILL BE GENERAL LIVESTOCK SHOWS HAPPENING OCTOBER 15 THROUGH 25 AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE DETAILS OF THESE SHOWS AND WILL PUT THE DETAILS OUT AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL HAVE STATE FAIR HORSE SHOWS AND WE ARE WORKING ON THESE DETAILS. I THINK YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE ADDITIONAL DRIVE THROUGH FAIR FOOD EVENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN REALLY POPULAR THIS SUMMER. WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE REGION. TO SAY 2020 HAS BEEN A YEAR OF DISAPPOINTMENT IS A BIG UNDERSTATEMENT. I CAN TELL YOU, AS A GRANDFATHER OF FIVE, TO OFFER AN ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT THAT IS ANYTHING LESS THAN A FULL EXPERIENCE AND OUR VERY BEST EFFORT SHORT CHANGES EVERYONE AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAPPY, MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILY MEMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STATE FAIR AND WE ARE TRYING TO ADD TO THAT EVERY YEAR. MY COMMITMENT TO YOU IS THAT WE WILL WORK EVEN HARDER TO PUT ON THE VERY BEST STATE FAIR, EVER, WHEN WE RETURN IN 2021. I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE A FEW QUESTIONS NOW, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. &gt;&gt; [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] &gt;&gt; WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THINGS THAT WE MIGHT COULD DO TO GIVE A SMALL FAIR EXPERIENCE. IT DOES COME DOWN TO FINANCIALS . WITHOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO HAVE THE MONEY TO OPEN UP A 2021 FEAR. THEY WILL BE VERY FEW THINGS WE CAN INVEST ANY MONEY IN FROM THE STATE FAIR, AS TIME GOES ON. &gt;&gt; [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] &gt;&gt; BEING A FARMER, MYSELF, AND KNOW THAT FARMERS ARE VERY RESILIENT. THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY YEAR AS A NEW BEGINNING. THEY HAVE TO BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE THE BEST CROP, EVER. AFTER ALL WE'VE BEEN THROUGH, FARMERS ARE STILL FIGHTING HARD AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT PART OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS FARMERS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE, THE UNITED STATES, AND PEOPLE OF THE WORLD ARE FED. THEY TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY. THEY ARE STILL OUT THERE FIGHTING AND I CAN'T SAY THEY ARE NOT BEAT DOWN, TO SOME EXTENT. THEY ARE GOING TO NEED MORE HELP TO GET THROUGH THIS. I GUARANTEE THEY WILL BE FIGHTING TILL THE LAST DAY AND THEY WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO FULFILL THAT OPERATION. &gt;&gt; [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] &gt;&gt; SHE WAS ASKING ABOUT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT FOR NOT HAVING A FEAR THIS YEAR. &gt;&gt; WELL, -- &gt;&gt; NORTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER, STEVE TROXLER, SAYING THAT THE STATE FAIR IS NOT GOING TO TAKE PLACE IN 2020. IT WILL BE BACK IN 2021. DISAPPOINTING AND HE CAME TO THIS CONCLUSION AND WENT THROUGH EVERYTHING, THOUGHT ON IT, PRAYED ON IT AND TRIED TO FIND OUT ANYWAY TO HAVE THIS FAIR BUT IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. THIS IS A SELF-SUPPORTING, LARGEST EVENT IN THE STATE AND NEEDS TO MAKE MONEY TO CONTINUE. THEIR QUOTE WAS THAT THEY WOULD BE HESITANT GOING BACK AND HE SAID GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE WOULD BE TO NOT HOLD A STATE FAIR WHEN FOLKS WERE NOT GOING TO SHOW UP FOR IT. IT'S DISAPPOINTING AND PROBABLY NOT HUGELY SURPRISING WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORING STATES CANCELING THEIR STATE FAIRS, AS WELL. A LOT TO THIS AND WITH THE FINANCES AND THE OPERATION OF IT AND GENERATING THOSE FINANCES, IT HURTS SMALL BUSINESSES AND WILL HURT THE FARMERS AND THE VENDORS AND THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT BENEFIT FROM IT. WE WILL CERTAINLY HAVE MORE ON THIS DECISION. THE LARGEST EVENT IN THE STATE THAT HAPPENS ANNUALLY, THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR, CANCELED. IT WILL NOT BE HAPPENING IN 2020. I'M JEFF HOGAN AND WE WILL HAVE PLENTY MORE FOR THIS ON WRAL.COM AND AHEAD AT NOON. WE WILL SEE YOU THEN. &gt;&gt;&gt; WE NOW RETURN YOU TO</p>

Jessica Patrick

Steve Troxler: 2020 NC State Fair is canceled 

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North Carolina has reported 129,000 cases of the coronavirus and just over 2,000 deaths related to the virus. The state remains in Phase 2 of its reopening plan.

Officials said the decision to cancel the fair now would help ease expenses. The fair costs about $6.8 million annually to produce with many contracts that have a 60-day cancelation with no penalty policy. The 60-day window for the N.C. State Fair would have been Aug. 16.

The State Fair attracted more than 938,000 people over its 11-day run last year. This would have been the 153rd State Fair. The cancelation is the first since World War II.​

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