The Genesee County Agricultural Society Inc. announced today that the Genesee County Fair, which was scheduled for July 25 through Aug. 1, will now be postponed until July 24-31, 2021.

It is with heavy hearts that the Ag Society Board of Directors had to make this call. The Board volunteers have been moving forward with plans to hold the fair in 2020, but with announcements by the New York Governor this month, it seems that the Fair would not be able to operate until the last phase of the New York State reopening.

Many factors were taken into consideration when making this decision, as it was not entered into lightly. Additional safety requirements, as we are seeing now in Phase One, would mean the preparation of buildings to safely move people in and out, as well as limiting the number of people on the grounds, all while trying to maintain the current six-foot social distancing rules.

"Our board is discussing the possibilities of having smaller events throughout the summer to try and support our Youth and agricultural community,” said Amanda Gallo, president of the Genesee County Ag Society.

“We are looking to New York State for guidance on Phase Four reopenings and once we have those guidelines, we can better prepare for our grounds to reopen for these events. But, in the meantime, our volunteers are working hard to put together a great Fair for July 24-31, 2021!"

Keep up to date with Fairgounds events by following the Fair here.

The Genesee County Agricultural Society Inc. is made up of volunteers who reside in Genesee County and are the organizers of the Genesee County Fair. They are the owners and operators of the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Route 5 in Batavia.

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Earlier today, The Batavian was first to report the cancellation of the Wyoming County Fair in Pike and that a decision was about to be made regarding the Genesee County Fair. Click here to read that report.

Currently, the Genesee County Fair, scheduled for July 25 through Aug. 1, is still on, according to Agricultural Society President Amanda Gallo.

“No decision has been made at this time, but there is a District 8 (Zoom) meeting this evening that I will be taking part in,” Gallo said.

The meeting will include representatives of the seven-county District 8 of the New York State Association of Agricultural Fairs.

Per the Genesee County Fair website, fair personnel have been monitoring the COVID-19 situation very closely and working with health and state officials concerning the status of the fair.

Jerry Davis, chair of the Wyoming County Board of Supervisors, confirmed that the Pike Fair that was slated for Aug. 15-22 has been cancelled for this year.

Echoing feelings of Genesee County government officials, Davis said he is “holding out hope that we’ll be able to move into Phase Two” of the state’s reopening plan on Friday.