Photo: Salem City
NEWS RELEASE: In its 30 plus years of existence, the Salem Fair has managed to outlast oppressive heat, gale force winds and torrential downpours, but the invisible Coronavirus has finally forced the region’s most popular summer event to close its gates. This morning, the 2020 edition of the Salem Fair was officially cancelled.
“This was a very difficult decision, but one that was made in the best interest of our
entire community,” says Wendy Delano, Salem’s Director of Civic Facilities. “We looked at a number of paths moving forward, but each one was blocked by the uncertainty of COVID-19. This is the on y decision that will ensure the health and safety of our loyal fairgoers, our vendors, our staff members and the many volunteers , who make the fair happen.”
The Salem Fair began in 1988 and it attracts an estimated 300,000 attendees to Virginia’s Blue Ridge region each year. The
2020 fair was scheduled for July 1-12 at the Taliaferro Complex.
“When you have done this as many years as we have, you think you have seen it all,” says Carey Harveycutter, Salem Fair Manager. “The fair takes months and months of planning and while we are all extremely disappointed, the unknowns associated with staging an event of this magnitude, at this particular time, are simply too great. We feel badly for everyone, but we will be back.”
