The Minnesota State Fair is still happening, but fair officials are anticipating that masks may be required to enter. While a decision has not been made yet regarding possible capacity limits and masking requirements, Jerry Hammer, the fair’s general manager, said, “Based on what we know today, that’s a likely scenario.”
The state fair is set to open on August 26, and at this point no restrictions have been officially announced. The rising infection rate in Minnesota and the development of the “Delta variant” has caused some local businesses to already reenact mask guidelines, and some venues are saying they will be requiring proof of vaccination. Those businesses include Target, the University of Minnesota, First Avenue, and city buildings.
Hammer told Bring Me The News that an indoor mask mandate in Ramsey County, where the fair is located, “would occur regardless of transmission levels in Ramsey County and regardless of a person’s vaccination status.” Hammer also said that there is a possibility of a daily attendance limit, but that hasn’t been decided yet either.
When the state fair was initially given a go-ahead in June, it said that at the time it would not be requiring masks or vaccinations and that there would not be a capacity limit “barring significant shifts in the public health situation.”
Hammer stated that “the best thing people can do is get vaccinated,” faulting unvaccinated Minnesotans for the “situation.” He said, “If you’ve been vaccinated, you’ve done your part. If you haven’t, please do so … and enjoy all the fair has to offer.”
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Hayley Tschetter is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun | Star News Network. She graduated with a degree in Communications from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. Send news tips to [email protected].
Photo “State Fair” by Lorie Shaull (CC BY-SA 2.0).
