California State Fair postponed; site offering COVID vaccines - Los Angeles Times
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California State Fair postponed to allow for more COVID-19 vaccinations at Cal Expo site

A girl pets a wallaby during a visit to the 2016 California State Fair.
Cataleja Ramirez pets Keele, a 4-year-old Bennett Wallaby, during a visit to the 2016 California State Fair in Sacramento. The state fair will not be held this summer because the site is being used as a COVID-19 vaccination site.
(Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)
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California’s state fair will take a backseat this summer so the Cal Expo site can continue administering COVID-19 vaccines, organizers said this week.

The Sacramento-based facility, one of the largest vaccination sites in the state, will operate through September, officials said in a news release. The California State Fair and Food Festival, which usually runs in July, could return in a “slimmed down” version after that, but the board of directors has yet to make a decision on that. The fair was canceled last year amid the pandemic.

“There is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel, and I am proud that Cal Expo has been able to play such an important role during this difficult time,” Cal Expo Chief Executive Rick Pickering said in a statement. “It is imperative that everyone gets vaccinated so that we can once again safely host the many events our community loves, including the annual California State Fair.”

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Cal Expo served as a mass coronavirus testing site until last week, when it transitioned to a vaccination location.

Other fairs around the state have already announced plans for their return. After a hiatus amid the pandemic, the Orange County Fair will return from July 16 to Aug. 15 with limited capacity and fewer rides, food stands and vendors.

An agricultural-themed event called Homegrown Fun, scheduled for June 11 through July 4, will take place instead of the San Diego County Fair, which was canceled last year.

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“We just couldn’t let another summer come and go without celebrating San Diego and all of the wonderful food and agriculture, arts and talent, business and innovation, and all-around fun of our community,” fair organizers said.

The Los Angeles County Fair, however, has canceled its September schedule for the second year in a row, although operators of the Fairplex in Pomona say a smaller event is planned for the fall. Details have yet to be released.

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