WOOSTER — The Wayne County Fair is moving forward with its plan to operate this year with some major modifications due to the coronavirus.

“After careful consideration and deliberation, based on the current mandates of Responsible RestartOhio and the safety of our patrons, we have decided to modify the 2020 fair with the hope of a normal, safer fair in 2021,” fair board manager Matt Martin said on behalf of the board.

The fair board spent nearly three hours on Thursday deliberating which events it could hold safely while limiting the risk of spreading COVID-19. The Wayne County Fair is scheduled for Sept. 12-17.

Martin gave the board a list of 25 items to consider and the board went one-by-one, voting yes or no on each. Most of the decisions were based on the financial benefit, if the vendor or entertainment was coming from out of the county, and the feasibility of social distancing during an event.

The board approved a full Wayne County Junior Fair including animal shows and project displays. The Junior Fair will also hold its king and queen coronation, but events such as the barnyard Olympics are still being discussed.

“Let’s help the kids,” said Carl Redick, a fair board director.

Participants of the senior fair will sit out for most events this year. The board decided to cancel submissions for the senior fair animal shows and still displays which include items such as agriculture and horticulture, antiques, arts and crafts, and home economics.

All Grandstand events are now canceled. In addition to the top acts canceled last month, the board decided to forgo the OSTPA truck, tractor, and semi pull show, the Buckeye Rodeo, and the demolition derby.

The Wayne County marching bands also pulled out earlier this week.

In their place, the fair will feature a local tractor pull on Saturday evening and the cowboy mounted shooters on Tuesday evening. Two church services will be held on Sunday morning to allow for more social distancing. Several small concerts and local entertainment will be scheduled throughout the week.

Bates Amusement which provides the rides previously canceled and although other ride operators were available, the board chose not to take the risk of bringing in more people than they could control on the grounds.

A limited amount of games and food vendors will be spread across the grounds. Commercial displays, local advertisers and businesses, will also be allowed to set up.

The special meeting came a day after Gov. Mike DeWine spoke to fair managers and directors about the importance of following safety guidance during county fair events.

“We’ve seen photos of packed grandstands and little social distancing,” DeWine said during his press conference on Wednesday. “We want fairs to continue, but I expressed in the phone call today that fairs must follow the rules.”

The Columbus Dispatch reported on Thursday that at least 22 COVID-19 cases and possibly one death have been linked to the Pickaway County Fair.

The state mandates encourage fairs to discourage the large gathering of people on the mid-way or other parts of the grounds and try to maintain one-way traffic when possible. Wayne County Fair board directors are asking its fairgoers to assist them with complying with all state standards.

Reach Emily Morgan at 330-287-1632 or emorgan@the-daily-record.com. On Twitter: @mogie242