Fair parade another victim of virus

Meeting just one day after it was announced the 2020 Putnam County Fair essentially will be a 4-H only event with no carnival, no commercial tent and few vendors, the Fair Committee confirmed the inevitable – there will be no fair parade this year.

The Parade Committee Thursday night officially confirmed the fair decision and agreed to postpone the parade until 2021, Fair Parade Committee Chairman Nancy Michael said.

“Unfortunately the virus, the unknowns, the requirements for social distancing and other things are out of our control,” Michael said. “With much thought and feedback we made a decision to hold off.”

Committee members had been holding out hope that the COVID-19 virus would abate and things could get back to normal with the traditional fair parade kicking things off.

“We were very hopeful even a month ago that the virus was more under control,” said Michael who came before the City Council earlier this month to set street closures in order to get an Indiana Department of Transportation permit since the parade runs down part of U.S. 231. “However, the closer we got to the date, the more obvious it became.”

And that, she said, “became crystal clear when Purdue Extension echoed social distancing requirements necessary during the fair.”

“We didn’t want to be less restrictive for a 4-H event than the 4-H Fair itself,” Michael added.

“So at the end of the day we feel the decision is right for everybody.”

That doesn’t mean it’s not disappointing, not to the Fair Committee members or the hundreds of fair parade-goers.

The tradition of the fair and the parade makes for “certain expectations” on how things should transpire, Michael said.

Organizers weren’t comfortable, for example, with committing to allow people to throw candy or pass out bottled water or popsicles.

“And logistically, creating social distancing was going to be impossible,” she said of the crowded Washington Street parade route.

“If we say there’s going to be a parade,” Michael continued, “a certain number of people are going to think it’s safe. And we know today we can’t make that call.”

So basically it’s wait’ll next year for the parade.

“We appreciate everybody’s joy for the parade and hope they hold onto it for next year,” Michael added.

“Next year we’re on, we’re in, we’re on it, and we’re looking forward to it.”