A Fair in the era of COVID

Yes, COVID-19 or not, there’s going to be a 45th Rockdale Fair in 2020.

No, it’s not going to be like any previous fair, with most events canceled and others altered.

Saturday evening’s Rockdale Fair Queen Pageant, the traditional first-weekend highlight, will be an “invitation-only” event and has been moved to Thorndale Fireman’s Hall, due to social distancing requirements.

There’s no children’s pageant and the only other first-weekend fair action is the baked goods show, still in the New Salem Building at Fair Park on Saturday morning.

THE HEART—The Fair’s “big weekend” was to have been Oct. 15-17 and while most of the usual events won’t happen, directors have saved what they term the “heart of the fair,” the annual youth livestock show and sale, with competition beginning as soon as Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Even so, each exhibitor, and their immediate family, will be asked to sign a COVID-19 waiver release form. The form must be turned in prior to arriving at Fair Park.

There will also be a commercial heifer show and ag mechanics competition. And that’s it. No parade, rodeo, home economics, carnival, barbecue cookoff, dances and all the rest.

(There will be a barbecue cookoff and car show at Apache Pass on Fair weekend, but they are not part of the Fair.)

PAGEANT—Tamra Vance of the pageant committee said the pageant has drawn 23 contestants and needs a larger venue than the original location, the Kay Theatre.

That’s because of social distancing requirements. Fireman’s Hall is on FM 496 near the northern Thorndale city limits.

Pageant contestants didn’t sell fair tickets in 2020 because most events won’t be held and the restrictions for attending what events that are left are linked to COVID-19, not revenue.

The audience for Saturday’s pageant will be limited to four guests for each of the contestants, according to Vance.

The pageant will be streamed on Facebook on the Rockdale Fair Association’s page and it starts at 7:30 p.m., Vance said.

The pageant this year was open to girls in the ninth and tenth grades; in the past it was only open to high school juniors and seniors.

Miss Texas, the traditional emcee for Rockdale Fair Queen Contests, will not attend.

Emcee will be Whitley Boyd, 2019 Fair Queen winner. Before the pageant, contestants will meet for individual interviews.

The night of the pageant There will be western wear and evening gown competitions leading up to naming the two runners-up and the new queen.

BAKED GOODS—All baked foods must be brought to the New Salem Club Building, Fair Park, between 8 and 10 a.m. Saturday.

Entries must be picked up between 1 and 2 p.m. that day. Entries not picked up by 2 p.m. become property of the Rockdale Fair Association. Entries may be donated to the RFA.

Grand and reserve entries in each category will be auctioned Saturday, Oct. 17 after the livestock sale.