Coronavirus Impact: Marin County Fair Canceled Over Fear Of Spread
SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) -- The Marin County Fair joined a litany of San Francisco Bay Area annual celebrations to become of a victim of the coronavirus outbreak.
Fair organizers said the event -- scheduled for July -- has now been cancelled for 2020.
"It is with a very heavy heart we announce the 2020 Marin County Fair: The Soaring 2020s will not take place this year," organizers said in a press release. "The County of Marin has reserved the Marin Center campus and Fairgrounds to serve as a vital resource in its response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency."
The cancellation comes a day after San Francisco Pride organizers cancelled their Pride 50 celebration and parade which had been scheduled for late June. The famed Gilroy Garlic Festival has also been called off for 2020 over fears of further community spread of the virus.
The Marin Center facilities and offices have been closed since March 13th's shelter in place mandate and our employees have been deployed as disaster service workers for the ,ounty.
"Since 1946, the Marin County Fair has been the premier family celebration in the County each summer," said Director of Cultural Services Gabriella Calicchio. "In our Fair history, this is one of the most challenging times we have encountered. We are cancelling the Fair after multiple conversations with Marin Public Health and with our entire community at heart."
"Our utmost goal is to support the efforts to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic and soar into the future with even more resilience."
As of Wednesday morning, 10 Marin County residents have lost their lives since the outbreak began. There has been 171 confirmed cases of the virus and 29 residents were currently hospitalized.
Marin Fair organizers said they were now planning for the event on July 1-5, 2021.