2021 Thurston County Fair Cancelled

The Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously in support of canceling the 2021 Thurston County Fair this year. The recommendation to cancel the fair came from the Thurston County Fair Board.

Instead of a public fair this year, the commissioners supported a closed fair where 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) program participants can showcase the projects they’ve been working on all year. Both 4-H and FFA are youth programs and the exhibits will not be open to the public. 

The Thurston County Youth Market Sale committee is working with fair staff to organize an in-person market sale auction this year as a standalone event. The market sale is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 7. Additional details will be released soon.

“After canceling last year’s fair, we wanted to move forward with the fair this year,” said Thurston County Fair Coordinator, Theresa Reid. “There were just too many unknowns in how we can keep people healthy and safe while still providing a great Thurston County Fair experience. We’re very much looking forward to welcoming everyone back to the fair in 2022.”

“This was a difficult decision for us, as the Board of Commissioners, to make, and I know it was a difficult recommendation for the Fair Board,” said Commission Chair, Tye Menser. “Like everyone, we are looking forward to returning to events like the Thurston County Fair that are essential to our sense of community. I encourage everyone who can to get vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. The faster we can vaccinate our community, the sooner we can get back to normal.”

The Thurston County Fairgrounds has been integral in the county’s ability to host large-scale, drive-through vaccination clinics. Many of the vaccine clinics Thurston County Public Health & Social Services has hosted so far were at the fairgrounds. You can find information about upcoming vaccine clinics on the county’s vaccine information webpage.

For more information about the Thurston County Fair and renting the buildings located on the fairgrounds property, visit https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/fair. 

The above was provided by Thurston County.