Why Most of 2020’s Fairs in Maine Are Canceled

The state of Maine has 25 fairs a year, and 22 of them are canceled for 2020 due to concerns over the coronavirus, according to a centralmaine.com article.

I remember when I was little Kwame, I would love to go to the Fair! There was even a celebration in my town called "Shad Derby," where we celebrated the shad going up to the Farmington River in Connecticut.

Here's a photo of me sitting in my godfather's shoulders growing up.

But I can't imagine what people in Maine are going through without having their fairs this year because if anything, even the smallest of towns, your fair is a symbol of your pride.

It's where a lot of small businesses go to showcase their wares; where farmers get to show off their livestock, where children get to see animals up close and personal.

This is also a place in which families can get on questionably safe rides without having to go to a major theme park.

More: Maine is Advertising to Other States as a Safe Getaway

Fairs are "points of pride events for the community; everybody can tell you stories about the time they went to the Fair. Everybody has a favorite fair," Maine humorist Tim Sample told Centralmaine.com.

Sample also compared their resonance and "mystical quality" to "the smell of grandma's baking" in the article.

Another issue facing fairs in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic escalates is the financial hit that most communities and fair organizations will take. There is no insurance policy to protect an organization against a pandemic at this point, and most fairs in the state of Maine have not been canceled since the 1918 and 1919 Spanish flu epidemic.

How do you feel about not being able to go to the Fair this year which Fair will you miss the most?