Even though Cascade County Commissioners voted 3-0 on May 19 to cancel the 2020 Montana State Fair due to health and financial concerns tied to COVID-19, Blaine County planned to stay the course with their fair dates, announcing recently: "We are looking forward to seeing you all at the Blaine County Fair August 12-16 2020."

That announcement captured the view of Blaine County Fair Board until Tuesday night, May 19, when Fair Board President Don Richman received two separate phone calls. "The company in Arizona that was going to put on our carnival called to say they couldn't afford to leave Arizona for one fair. Then the Petting Zoo folks phoned with a similar report," Richman said.

Given these cancellations, Richman called an emergency meeting of the Fair Board for Wednesday, May 20, at 7:00 p.m. at the Commercial Building located on the Blaine County Fairgrounds. The Fair Board agreed, according to Richman, "to go full bore" and restated their plans to hold the fair August 12-16.

"In considering our options, the 4-H kids were a priority here; we couldn't just take away this opportunity for them to show and sell their animals after all of their hard work," Richman stated.

At Wednesday night's meeting, because social distancing guidelines would not be impossible to follow in an outdoor venue, the Fair Board believed that the rodeo, demolition derby, and livestock sale could all still take place. While having a fair without a carnival or a petting zoo may hurt attendance, the Board discussed other event options like a hay maze, bouncy toys, paint ball, and related outdoor activities.

And then, another phone call came in on Thursday morning, May 21 from Fred Langford with news from the corporate office.

"I thought about just disconnecting the phone," Richman said, "but that wouldn't solve the issue. We're just in such a quandary about what to do. If Dodge pulls its sponsorship of the PRCA Rodeo, we'd have to consider a ranch rodeo or going out in search of sponsorship money from other businesses at a time when cash hasn't been flowing!"

After weighing all the options and refusing to succumb to naysayers or to players of political football, the Fair Board declared: "Until further notice, the Blaine County Fair will go on!"

Fair Board member John Skoyen joined Richman in saying, "We need something positive for the community, and if we have to move the 4-H Livestock Sale outside or go a different route with a rodeo, we have a Plan B if we need it."

As of press time, Richman reported that 4-H, Bear Paw Rodeo, Kids' Rodeo and Demolition Derby committees were all on board that the fair must go on in some form or capacity.

"Committees are investigating what sanitizing the arena might look like, for example," Richman reported, "but as of now, we plan to host the Kids' Rodeo on Wednesday night, Bear Paw Rodeo on Thursday and Friday nights, Demolition Derby on Saturday night, and Pig Wrestling and 4-H Livestock Sale on Sunday."

Richman added, "These decisions were made with the understanding that they may change in response to any public health directives."