The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WALLA WALLA—At a meeting on Monday, June 8, Walla Walla County Commissioners voted to cancel the 154th Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days due to safety concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic. Commissioners said that the decision did not come easily.

The decision ultimately came down to a safety issue, as coronavirus numbers are slowly beginning to rise in the county again. Meeting attendees expressed that they were uncomfortable hoping that Walla Walla County would be in the proper phase of Governor Inslee’s Safe Start plan come Labor Day weekend. Currently, Walla Walla County is in Phase 2 of the four-phase plan.

Financial issues were also a large part of the discussion, as the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days provides a revenue source for the county, city, many nonprofit organizations and area youth.

4-H and FFA market animals were a big concern. Commissioner Greg Tompkins mentioned considering an online sale to help the kids recoup some of the costs that go into raising market animals. Milton-Freewater Junior Show held a successful online animal sale earlier in the year, and many fairs and shows across the nation have also had success with virtual sales.

In May, the decision was made to postpone the Wednesday night concert with the band Chicago as the headliner. During the May meeting, fair board members and commissioners discussed how they would handle distancing and safety concerns at the demolition derby and the three nights of PRCA rodeo, as well as an event to fill the new gap on Wednesday.

Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days is currently working on a plan to issue refunds and are anticipating the process will take roughly a week. Once the system is ready, the Fair will post on social media accounts and their website with information. http://www.wallawallafairground.com.