By Pepper Fisher

CLALLAM COUNTY – The announcement last week that the Clallam County Fair had been cancelled for the second year in a row has left many of us understandably disappointed. Unfortunately, scant statements from the County Facilities Director and the Fair Manager offered little in the way explanation as to why the Fair Board members made the decision to cancel.

We gained a little more insight after speaking with long-time board member Bob Clark, who says he was one of those who voted against having a fair this August.

“I made the motion not to have the fair, but the reason being is that we couldn’t have a carnival. The carnival was out the window, and that’s the main draw there. The rodeo wasn’t going to be put on because the grandstand, which holds 1200 people, would be limited to about 600. So that’s just some of the reasons. It was becoming impossible.”

Clark says the final blow came when he learned about the restrictions they’d have to put on their vendors.

“Half of the vendors were going to have to be told they couldn’t come, and the other half, if they sold something, the person buying…say they bought an ice cream bar from a vendor. They couldn’t walk around the fairgrounds eating it. Can you imagine buying an ice cream cone and not being able to walk around the fair enjoying it? And how are you going to police all of this? Common sense told me that this was not the time to have a fair. Period.

The final vote among the Fair Board was 6 to 3 in favor of cancelling.