Upcoming events — Are they happening?

by RACHAL PINKERTON
For the Basin Business Journal | June 26, 2020 1:00 AM

MOSES LAKE — As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on the lives of Americans, event planners are taking a hard look at upcoming events and making tough decisions about whether to hold their event or not.

Below is a listing of July and August events that are being affected. As things continue to progress with COVID-19, more events could be canceled to prevent further spread. This list is meant to be used as a guide, not an authoritative source. For the most up-to-date information on each event, please visit their web pages.

Northwest Junior Sheep Show – Proceeding as planned

July 10-11, 2020

As of May 14, the Northwest Junior Sheep Show will proceed as planned.

“We are still planning to go forward with a show here at Moses Lake unless we are forced otherwise,” said Sarah M. Smith, Extension Regional Specialist in animal sciences for the WSU Grant-Adams Extension office.

To learn more, visit extension.wsu.edu/animalag/news/northwest-junior-sheep-exposition.

Trinity Gardens Lavender Farm Flower Fest – Proceeding as planned

July 11, 2020

Trinity Gardens Lavender Farm, located a few miles south of the Gorge Amphitheatre, will be holding Flower Fest on July 11, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event features distilling, crafting and other family friendly activities. Attendees are able to walk through the lavender plants and pick fresh flowers.

To learn more, visit trinitygardens2014.com or check out its Facebook page.

King County Fair – Canceled

July 16-19, 2020

The King County Fair, one of the first fairs to be held each year in Washington state, has been canceled. The fair management and board announced the closure on its website. As of May 14, the Junior Livestock Market will remain as scheduled on July 19.

To learn more, visit kingcofair.com.

West Valley Community Fair – Canceled

July 23-25, 2020

The West Valley Community Fair, held in Yakima, has been canceled. The decision to cancel was made on May 8 by the fair board.

“We understand that this is an emotionally charged issue which affects everyone involved in the fair, particularly our children,” said the announcement on the fair’s social media. “We assure you though that this decision was not made lightly. Our president and board members have been working on this diligently since we first entered into these uncertain times. Every option and scenario has been discussed and researched time and time again.”

To learn more, visit facebook.com/WestValleyFair.

Spokane Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade – Canceled

Original date – May 16, 2020

Second/rescheduled date – July 25, 2020

In May, Spokane Lilac Festival President Dan VerHeul announced that the festival has been canceled for the year. Prior to that, the festival had been rescheduled from May to July.

“This was not a decision taken lightly,” VerHeul wrote in an announcement on the festivals website. “After many discussions and meetings with our local and state officials, it is clear that it is not feasible to hold the festival in a safe manner, nor the type of fFestival our wonderful community deserves and has come to expect.”

This is the second time in the event’s 82-year history that it has been canceled. The first time was between 1943 and 1945 because of World War II.

The announcement said that the festival committee is disappointed about the cancellation, but is looking forward to the 2021 celebration.

For more information about the Lilac Festival, visit spokanelilacfestival.org.

Yakima Valley Fair and Rodeo – Undecided

Aug. 5-8, 2020

It has not yet been decided if the Yakima Valley Fair and Rodeo will be held. The decision whether to cancel will not be made until July 6. For more information, visit yvfair-rodeo.org.

Valley Community Fair – Canceled

August 7-8, 2020

This year’s Valley Community Fair has been canceled. The announcement was made on social media on June 4. This is the first time since the fair started in 1932 that it has been canceled. “The 2020 Valley Community Fair would have been the 88th fair in our long and rich history,” said Theresa Carr, Valley Community Fair representative, in the post. “Until very recently, we held out the hope that we could still produce the best possible fair to educate and entertain our guests. Public health and safety have always been, and will always be, our top priority. In addition to our guests, we have a responsibility to provide a safe experience for our volunteers, sponsors, vendors, entertainers, animals and the entire community.”

Next year’s fair has been scheduled for Aug. 13 and 14, 2021. For more information, visit the Valley Community Fair’s Facebook page.

Hunters Community and 4-H Club Fair – Canceled

Aug. 15, 2020

The Hunters Community and 4-H Club Fair is canceled for this year. The announcement was made on May 28, on the group’s social media.

Pioneer Power Show and Swap Meet – Canceled

Aug. 15-16, 2020

The Central Washington Agricultural Museum, in Union Gap, has canceled the Pioneer Power Show and Swap Meet. The event was scheduled for the weekend of Aug. 15 and 16.

“Since our county is still in Phase 1 of the pandemic, the museum board decided it would not have the show this year and the museum is still closed,” said Carol Blomgren, with the museum. “We are all saddened by this.”

The next scheduled event is the Agri-Copia, formerly known as Plowing Bee and Horse Spectacular, set for Oct. 10 and 11. To learn more, visit centralwaagmuseum.org.

Grant County Fair – Canceled

Moses Lake Roundup – Canceled

Aug. 18-22, 2020

The Grant County Fair announced on Facebook on May 27 that this year’s fair has been canceled.

“We put quite a bit of planning into this year’s fair and had some great entertainment lined up,” said Jim McKiernan, the fairs director, in the announcement. “But the regulations for reopening and the health district requirements made the fair financially unfeasible.”

McKiernan said that the health district would not allow the carnival to proceed. It was also not possible to hold large concerts with adequate social distancing.

Fair staff is hoping to still hold some form of livestock for the students who have been raising animals. Registration has tentatively been set for July 1.

To learn more, visit gcfairgrounds.com or the Grant County Fairgrounds Facebook page.

In addition to the fair being canceled, the annual Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo has also been canceled. On the website, the Moses Lake Rodeo Association said that it understands that the cancellation of this and other rodeos is creating a hardship on those in the rodeo world that depend on rodeos for their livelihood.

The rodeo association is looking at the possibility of the 2020 Demo Derby to later in the fall. To learn more, visit moseslakeroundup.com.

National Lentil Festival – Rescheduled for 2021

Aug. 21-22, 2020

The 32nd annual National Lentil Festival has been rescheduled to Aug. 20 and 21, 2021. The festival website stated that the decision to postpone was difficult, but that the safety and health of the community was the top priority.

A few events associated with the Lentil Festival will still be held, but in modified form. To learn more, visit lentilfest.com.

Klickitat County Fair and Rodeo – Canceled

Aug. 20-23, 2020

On June 16, the Klickitat County Fair and Rodeo announced on social media that the 2020 fair was canceled. In the post, the fair board said that it felt that it was in the best interest of everyone involved to cancel and protect their health and safety. The board is looking forward to the 2021 fair.

Clayton Community Fair – Proceeding as planned

Aug. 21-23, 2020

As of June 14, the Clayton Community Fair Board has said that the fair will continue as planned.

“Our partners at the Clayton Pro West Rodeo are also planning for a summer of fun and are assuming that while we may all be in masks to attend and standing/sitting six feet apart that the rodeo will move forward,” said the board in a statement on the events website. “But at the same time, the fair board and the various superintendents are looking at ways to hold a modified fair should the COVID crisis not be controlled to a level that would allow for the fair to go on like normal. Some departments assume they will have record breaking entries as everyone has had so much time at home to work on projects.”

To learn more, visit claytoncommunityfair.com.

Benton-Franklin Fair & Rodeo – Canceled

Aug. 25-29, 2020

The Benton-Franklin Fair & Rodeo announced on June 11 on social media that the 2020 fair and rodeo were canceled.

“We are feeling all the same things you are,” said the fair board in the post. “Sad. Frustrated. Disappointed. Heartbroken. We know this has a big impact on hundreds of businesses and thousands of people. The fair is a platform for small businesses and entrepreneurs, service groups and nonprofits, school groups and young people, artists, entertainers and agriculturists and many, many more.”

The 2021 Benton-Franklin Fair & Rodeo will be held on Aug. 24-28, 2021.

North Central Washington Fair – Canceled

Aug. 27-20, 2020

The North Central Washington Fair has announced that it has had to cancel the 2020 fair. In the announcement on its website, the fair manager and fair board cited elderly volunteers, the inability to check temperatures at the gate and issues with social distancing as some of the reasons for canceling the fair.

“As we navigate through this strange summer we hope you all find ways to get involved in agriculture,” wrote the fair manager and board.

To learn more, visit ncwfair.org.

Rachal Pinkerton may be reached via email at rpinkerton@basinbusinessjournal.com.