CULLMAN, Ala. – The 2020 Cullman County Fair opened Thursday evening, in the midst of concerns about COVID-19 and stiff competition from area football games that were rescheduled from Friday due to forecasts of bad weather. The crowd was smaller than on a typical opening night, and there were fewer exhibits and events, but fairgoers seemed happy to be out and about. Workers wore masks and ride seating on every other seat created social distance to help offer guests a little more safety.
Cullman Lion and Cullman County Fair Association President Charlie Childers told The Tribune, “The challenge is just, number one, doing it as safely as possible. We want people to know that we want them to come out, we want them to have normalcy in being able to get out and do some things they’ve been wanting to do. We ask that it be the people that know they can get out and feel comfortable getting out. If you’re not going to Wal-Mart or places, then you probably don’t need to come if you’re isolating yourself. But if you’re not, feel comfortable, please come.”
He continued, “We want to just provide that opportunity this year, so we’ve done as much as we can. We’ve got things spaced out. The rides are spaced out with more things- non-rides- in between them, just to give more room in between standing in line and giving people room to space out. The theater this year with our biggest night- Tuesday night with the Fair Queens- we’ve limited the seating, so if you don’t have a ticket, you don’t get to have a seat this year. Those were given out to each young lady to give out to a set number of people.”
Childers specified that standing room is still available around the theater, but seating is reserved for ticketed guests.
“All the rides have buckets out there,” he said, “so you can wipe down your own ride if you don’t feel comfortable with them, because they’re also going to wipe down rides in between.”
Wow factor
Childers advised fairgoers to be on the lookout for:
- A children’s circus with animals and a magic show
- The “Globe of Death” motorcycle cage
- A traditional circus trapeze act
“We’re just proud to be able to do it,” he smiled. “We appreciate the Cullman County Commission, the Cullman City Council and all the things they do, and working for us and then getting to do this this year.”
The Fair runs through Oct. 17. Opening times:
- Monday through Friday – 5 p.m.
- Saturday – noon
- Sunday – 2 p.m.
Find more information and a schedule of events at www.cullmanfair.org.
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