Ag Commish Andrew Gipson issued the following statement.
Today, Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced the details of the 161st Mississippi State Fair, which runs Wednesday, October 7, through Saturday, October 18. The Fair, an agricultural event featuring Mississippi’s youth livestock exhibitions, will officially begin with a ceremonial ribbon cutting at 5:00 p.m. on October 7.
“The show must go on,” said Commissioner Gipson, “but for the show to go on in 2020, we’re going to have to do it social distance style. The State Fair is a tradition for many families, and we have gone to great lengths to make sure this year’s fair provides fun-filled activities, while keeping our visitors safe. We are implementing CDC guidelines by limiting the number of attendees as well as observing mask and social distancing requirements. I am looking forward to welcoming everyone to this year’s 161st Mississippi State Fair.”
It is advised that any guests who feel unwell or may have underlying medical conditions stay home. The entire complex has limited the number of guests, and each indoor building has posted building limits. Face masks will be required for entry to the Mississippi State Fairgrounds and social distancing is encouraged in accordance with state guidelines for outdoor events. In addition, fair rides will be sanitized between each ride and hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the grounds.
“The safety and security of our guests is our top priority, and our staff has worked tirelessly to implement safety precautions with that goal in mind,” said Michael Lasseter, Acting Director of the Mississippi Fairgrounds Complex. “The Mississippi State Fair is a family event that we all look forward to each year. I remember coming to the State Fair myself as a young man and the wonderful memories that I made with my family. I am excited and grateful to give that same opportunity to other families.”
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS TO NOTE:
First Responders Appreciation Day will be held on Wednesday, October 7, and as a special thank you, the Mississippi Fairgrounds will be offering free admission to all law enforcement officers, first responders, firefighters, healthcare workers and medical professionals. Identification will be required at the gate.
For the first time ever, the Fairgrounds will host the Genuine MS® Store, which will be open to the public and exhibit a variety of Genuine MS® items for purchase.
Musical acts performing on the Budweiser Stage located on the Midway include Mustache the Band, Roots and Boots 90’s Electric Throwdown with Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin and Collin Raye, Epic Funk Brass Band, Dirt Road Cadillac, Paul Porter and the Christianaires, U.S., Great White/Slaughter, Big Blues Explosion, Sean Kingston, Southern Komfort Brass Band, 601 Live and the Topher Brown Band. In addition, local acts will perform at the State Fair on the Trustmark Stage located on the Midway. All musical entertainment is free with regular fair admission.
The 2020 State Fair will include the annual Horse, Mule and Pony Pulls in the Kirk Fordice Equine Center. The Horse Pull will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, with the Mule Pull immediately following. The Pony Pull will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 18.
All American Day will be held on Wednesday, October 14, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and will include musical entertainment by Jared Vardaman and Ed Meadows, as well as a speech by Commissioner Andy Gipson. As a special thank you to the military for their service, the Mississippi Fairgrounds will be offering free admission on All American Day to any active military. Identification will be required at the gate.
This year, a new feature of the mile-long Midway will be the Timberworks Lumberjack Show featuring axe throwing, underhand and chopping, cross cut and hot sawing along with chainsaw carving. The Lumberjack Shows will take place daily throughout the duration of the Fair.
Daily activities will take place throughout the 105 acres of the Mississippi Fairgrounds Complex. Children, and adults alike, will enjoy the Farm Bureau Petting Zoo Area and Pig Races, the 4-H and FFA Livestock Shows and will be wowed by the circus performers of the Great American Thrill Show brought to you by Clarion Ledger located at the Kid Zone. LOCALiQ’s Fetch-N-Fish will perform and dozens of vendors and exhibits will be available to the public, including an arts & crafts competition, food preservation, floral exhibits and an antique tractor show.
Commissioner Gipson continued, “The Fair is essentially an outdoor, transitory event which helps mitigate the risk of the coronavirus transmission. But the risk is still there. I encourage everyone to use the sanitizing stations, respect the social distancing guidelines, and when unable to be socially distant to wear a mask, which will be required at entry. Also, I ask for patience, we’ve changed where the lines go to rides to take them away from midway walkers and will have six-foot space markers for those in line. It won’t be the normal Fair but using our safety plan and with the cooperation of our guests, the show will go on!”
The safe fair plan was created using CDC guidelines, guidance from State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs and best practices from other similar events. The plan has been reviewed by Governor Tate Reeves.
The Mississippi State Fair runs Wednesday, October 7, through Sunday, October 18, with a gate admission price of $5.00 per person and parking $5.00 per car. Children under the age of 6 are admitted free of charge. Enjoy free admission weekdays 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
For more information, download the Mississippi State Fair mobile app, visit www.MsStateFair.com online or follow the Mississippi State Fairgrounds page on Facebook.
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Commish Announces State Fair Plans
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25 comments:
We must find a way for life to go on under these unprecedented circumstances. Yes, we could all stay home, isolate, and no one would ever again get the virus. But that is not realistic. Whether you think the fair is an important event or not is irrelevant. The fact remains that it is part of our lives as we have known it, and it can continue with the people's cooperation.
That said, if you don't want attend, stay your butt at home and quit your bitching, whining and moaning about the fair.
Yes, I know, about half of the state fairs have been cancelled or postponed. On the other hand, about half of the state fairs are being held as scheduled.
The fair is a petri dish on a good year. My kids always used to pick something up there. I'm sure those carnies will be diligent with their sanitizing. I've always found them to be some of the most hygienic people on the planet.
Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaaawwww!
Y'all come on down to the CovidSeeUm and have some FUN!!!
Our event is going VIRAL on the Interwebs (and soon at medical facilities)!!
Oct 7th: Sneeze and Peak!!! Get infected the FIRST DAY! Don't wait for seconds, y'all.
Oct 8th: 2 Dollar Death Rides. Here's yo chance to spread it with the aid of the Tilt A Hurl and screaming. Let's pitch in and get that Rt up!!
Oct 9th: HERD Immunity at the Livestock Barns!! Get a Big Ole Cup of LemmerNade and share it!! Starting to get a scratchy throat. Funny.
Oct 10th Y'all have fun, Ima stay home and see why my temperature's up a bit. I'm fine!
Oct 12th: Y'all Andy has created a Pop Up Fair at UMMC. Covid patients (ain't nuttin' but a little flu) get in Free!!! Free biscuits for surviving family members.
Oct 13th- Lucky 13! Come on by and get in line, close it up, at the rides. We done forgot about masks, cuz it's all a HOAX!
Oct 17th Ventilator for MeeMaw and GranPa. I'm doing fine, just a little oxygen
Oct. 18th, Fair ends and ICU is getting a little crowded.
Nov 7th: Services will be limited to 10 folk and that's a VIOLATION of MAH RIGHTS!!!
FreeDumb!!!
Hard pass on the fair for me and mine this year. It's not worth the health risk.
A germ free fair? What's the point?
Many many more people are going to die of heart disease than Covid...so why are our royal leaders not banning all that crappy food at the fair?
Well I'm going to go have fun since I've already had the China Virus and only knew it because I tested positive after a member of my household tested positive. Big nothingburger if you ask me. I'm convinced that all of the leftists are so scared because their poor life decisions have left them with compromised immune systems.
The biggest immediate threats from the fair are always head lice and gypsy property crimes. Don't think corona's gonna change that.
“No plan survives contact with the enemy”. Rommel knew better, but we must relive history it seems.
Hey, 10:21 - that was fun and witty. How much time did you waste concocting that one because you're late pickin' up my trash - it's still by the street. Get at 'er and don't forget to wash yer hands.
Can I get a red nek Hell Yeah?
Carnies are good people. My father was a Carnie. My mother got pregnant during a trip to the state fair in 1989. The only time I would ever see my old man was during the fair. He knew everyone that worked there. Mom says he was a gypsy king. And that makes me gypsy royalty.
I find it comical that the state can shut everything down, ruin peoples businesses, make teachers jump through hoops to teach kids, but by God we're not going to cancel the fair. They need that money maker. Tate Reeves and Chuckie, f*** y'all. Don't ever mention executive order Whereas # whatever if you don't push back on the fair happening. Where you are more likely to catch a .9mm than the Covid.
Every time that I see Andy Gipson on TV, I feel like I'm watching a combination of "Green Acres" and "Hee Haw".
October 18 is a Sunday. Will they have a contest for the biggest cowboy hat. I gots me a Hoss Hat. Yeehi.
11:45 AM - Are you positive which carnie is your dad? I always notice long lines at the fair.
Andy needs the money for his budget. Public health be damned.
The most comical of all is Tater's announcement yesterday that The Fair needs to continue because it establishes an economic boon for the city and Ag Department. All this time I be done thought it was all about my health that Tater was concerned with.
"I find it comical that the state can shut everything down, ruin peoples businesses, make teachers jump through hoops to teach kids, but by God we're not going to cancel the fair."
Absolutely !
Getting a haircut is much more (death-defying) than getting a free biscuit, watching a pig race . . .
and climbing on the deep cleaned "rides".
" Every time that I see Andy Gipson on TV, I feel like I'm watching a combination of "Green Acres" and ' 'Hee Haw' ".
Very true.
And remember . . . not even Buck Owens wore 50 gallon cowboy hats on "Hee Haw".
10 gallon hats at times, but never a 50 gallon.
And Arnold the pig from "Green Acres" would have won every race.
" I gots me a Hoss Hat " .
Hoss Cartwright could wear big hats.
He had a much larger head, and it looked better on camera.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to the 2020 State Fair.
No matter how one feels about COVID 19, it is just sheer insanity for our "leaders" to allow the fair to go forward in light of all of the press conferences with Tater and top docs urging us to wear masks and exercise social distancing--not to mention executive orders. The Mississippi State Fair is absolutely the most fertile place in America for catching the virus. No athletic event or graduation, church service, or athletic event could be worse. I don't know how Tater can keep a straight face about this insanity.
By the way, 10:42, the difference between COVID 19 and heart disease is that you can't spread the latter at the fair. Also, those at the fair who are exposed to the virus will take it home to D'Lo, Leakesville, Okolona, Yazoo City, Canton, Jackson, Pearl, and all over.
I am sure Tate and his family will enjoy the fair.
MS State Fair is looking like 2020's Final Boss, and I'm not here to die for some funnel fries.
I think Andy should be at the fair entrance every day to shake every hand and get kisses on the cheek from every woman, and walk the crowds along fairways every night. Then we'll see if we still have an Ag Commish two weeks after it's all over.
When's the banjo contest?
This aint the state fair without the banjo contest!
Like they say: BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!
I guess ol Howdy Doody Gipson don’t remember what happened as a result of officials allowing Mardi Gras to continue? I see a major spike coming as a result of this debacle and yes it will affect ALL of us when more mandates are put in place. This economy is just about to bust already. Mr “all hat-no cattle” will never miss an opportunity to put his name all over everything then blame someone else when things go south!!!
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