This was an unconventional year for the Lebanon Area Fair, but it still finished with a ‘bang,’ as usual.
Having fireworks to conclude the fair is a time-honored tradition for fair goers. Fair board members decided to keep this tradition going, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, by having a drive-in fireworks show, where visitors could view the fireworks from their cars in the parking lot.
Read more: Lebanon Area Fair to present family-oriented drive-in fireworks display
The parking lot was almost full of cars and hundreds of people showed up to witness the fair’s first drive-in fireworks show.
All photos are by LebTown reporter Emily Bixler. Article by Emily Bixler and Alexis Steele.
To accommodate social distancing, people were asked to stay in or around their own cars. Most, if not all, of them complied, and others wore masks if outside their vehicles.
In most years, the fireworks show is preceded by the annual demolition derby. However, this year the derby was cancelled, along with all other track events and most other aspects of the fair.
Read more: Youth ag focused Lebanon Area Fair to offer drive-through, pickup food options
The only aspects of the usual Lebanon Area Fair that were present this year were youth exhibits, 4-H and FFA fundraising barbecues and some of the traditional fair food. However, these all took place in a modified format for social distancing.
Read more: Lebanon Area Fair opens drive-in concessions to keep food tradition alive
While not having a full fair this year impacted the Lebanon Area Fair financially, as it is a non-profit that gets most of its income from admission fees and track event tickets, the fair has said that thanks to community support from sponsors it is in good shape for a return to a “normal” fair for 2021.
Now that the 2020 Lebanon Area Fair has come to a close, fair goers can start to look forward to the 2021 fair, which will hopefully be closer to the fair they are used to.
More coverage of the Lebanon Area Fair
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