A photo from the 2019 Nokomis Ag Fair. I'd bet that hat fits him a lot better this year.
With an average attendance of 650 people, an event of this size doesn’t meet the current SK phase regulations.
The Fair has been a fixture of Nokomis summers since 1908, Just four years after establishing the area. The Fair has been held every year, save a spell in the 1940s when WWII meant only committee meetings could be held.
“To host an event of this nature, there is a lot of hours of organizing and preparation. There is also a lot of community support through sponsorship. With the onset of the pandemic occurring at the beginning of March, Preparations including approaching the community for sponsorship was [put] on hold. As the need to stay home continued, along with social distancing, it was becoming more apparent that the Fair may not be a reality. It would take a lot of effort for a group of volunteers to get all the work done now for a successful event. And as some of the local businesses that support the Fair through sponsorship may also be affected by a shutdown of the economy, we would not feel right approaching them for sponsorship to run the Fair.” Said Sheri Pedersen, Secretary-Treasurer.
The sponsors that have already contributed to the 2020 fair requested that their funds not be returned but rather be saved for next year’s events. Pederson also stated that they aren’t ruling out holding smaller events in the meantime and that the Ag Society will keep the public informed of any developing plans.