The Humboldt County Fair is still on as long as the COVID-19 pandemic dies down by August.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” said Richard Conway, general manager of the Humboldt County Fair, “and we’re planning accordingly.”

Humboldt County Health Officer Teresa Frankovich has said previously that the county is nowhere near the peak of the pandemic locally and did not answer a question submitted by the Times-Standard on Wednesday about her guidance on having large gatherings in August.

The Humboldt County Fair Association begins planning for the fair in September and October, so major entertainment has already been selected and an agreement in place with its carnival company, Conway said.

The COVID-19 pandemic is something no one has dealt with before, and “we’re dealing with so many unknowns,” Conway said.

“We all listened and watched Gov. (Gavin) Newsom’s address yesterday,” Conway said. “He made it rather clear they don’t plan on having any kind of events or gatherings for both Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, so we’ll just have to play it by ear and see how things progress.”

Whether the fair goes on or not, Conway said there will be a Plan B in place to support youth exhibitors who would have otherwise participated in the vegetable and livestock auctions.

“We’ll certainly have a contingency plan for how we manage those things so the kids that have purchased an animal and have raised an animal have the opportunity to do something with it,” he said.

The association is working with the state to figure out “the best way to go about this because so many fairs are in a similar position already,” Conway said.

Fairs that are earlier in the season, April through June, have already had to cancel in the past couple days, but Humboldt County has an advantage by being later in the season and having the opportunity to figure things out, he said.

In the meantime, Conway said, “We’re here for the community and anything we can do for the community,” such as provide a kitchen or other facilities, “we’re happy to do.”

Sonia Waraich can be reached at 707-441-0506.