Thursday, March 28, 2024

74th annual Okanogan County Fair forges ahead Sept. 9-12

Last year wildfire, this year pandemic

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OKANOGAN – Last year at this time the Okanogan County fairgrounds were serving as an evacuation site for domestic livestock and a distribution base for emergency supplies as the Cole Spring wildfire raged through the Colville Reservation and beyond. Fairgrounds manager Naomie Peasley had her hands full arranging stalls and corral space for animals, designating storage spots for donated supplies, and drop sites for livestock hay and straw. In place of wildfire this year the COVID-19 pandemic is the opponent but the 74th annual Okanogan County Fair will open on schedule Thursday, Sept. 9.
The Fair Advisory Committee (FAC) met August 26 to address last-minute details including those attendant to holding an event of its size and complexity amid the existing pandemic. FAC Chairman Mike Egerton said the meeting was principally to assure county health officials that proper measures were in place to mitigate the spread of COVID.
“Naomie was very proactive,” said Egerton, “assuring that signage, handwash stations, and antibacterial dispensers are in place for crowd safety.”
Egerton said the only enhancement county health officer Dr. James Wallace wanted that was above and beyond what the governor’s proclamation asked for is that all food vendors be masked up.
“I have so advised the vendors,” said Egerton. “A few are not happy with the requirement but will comply.”
The three Okanogan County Commissioners support the Fair going forward this year. Chairman Chris Branch expressed his support in a letter sent to Fair officials which said in part:
“Across the nation decision makers struggle with allowing the assembly of large groups that have the potential to result in dire public health outcomes,” wrote Branch. “However, I’ve joined with County Health Officials, Emergency Management, Fairgrounds Management, and Fair Officials to come together with the intent to lay out a strategy to minimize the risk to the public so that we may realize the benefit of all the efforts of all the volunteers that make it happen,”
Branch added that the Commissioners are relying “heavily on everyone involved, from the exhibitors to the patrons of the Fair, to do their part in taking the precautions necessary to achieve our goal.”
Race Director Carol Sivak said the popular relay races took a hit this year when the Muckleshoot tribe, owner of Emerald Downs Racetrack in Auburn, changed its race schedule to coincide with the Fair this year and attracted many teams to the $50,000 purse it offers. Sivak said in past year the Downs held the relay races before Waterville’s North Central Washington Fair at the end of August.
“Waterville only had four teams this year,” said Sivak of the NCW races. “Not all the relay teams qualified for Emerald Downs so we will have relay races as scheduled.”
The Fair schedule has adult races starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, and kids’ races and arena games at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
The popular Market Stock Sale will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday in the Berg Pavilion.
The award-winning Pro-West Rodeo will start at 7 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday. In its first year performing in the newly renovated Fair arena in 2018, Pro-West recognized Okanogan with its Rodeo of the Year award.




 

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