By Kristen Levine, Reporter
On Wednesday, August 25, the Sterling Selectboard voted alongside the Sterling Board of Health to cancel the 2021 Sterling Fair. While the Sterling Fair Committee was allowed to bring their case to the meeting to allow the Fair, the vote ultimately declined the request. In an official statement by the Sterling Board of Health: “[it] was discussed that the agricultural activities at the Fair are held in open spaces with dispersed crowds and pose only a small threat of Covid transmission. However, the rides and Midway activities bring crowds of people, including younger unvaccinated children, into very close contact posing a greater risk of transmission in this re-emerging public health threat.”
With an estimated 30 to 40 thousand people coming through Sterling for the three-day event, the risk of Covid-19 overshadowed the Fair’s intended purpose of bringing a sense of normalcy back to a state still recovering from 2020. With Covid numbers on the rise again, a precautionary cancellation was deemed necessary.
“It’s precautionary,” said Board of Health agent David Favreau. “It’s the goal and responsibility of the Board of Health to protect public health…a fair amount of people are supporting the cancellation.”
The Sterling Fair Planning Committee is moving forward with determination and optimism in the face of the cancellation. In the Committee meeting on Monday, August 30, Committee Chair Doug Downey thanked a room packed with fellow Committee members and residents eager to help the Fair’s 2022 event.
“I wanted to thank everybody for being here,” he said, “There’s a lot of disappointment, [and] it’s hard to keep positive but we’re going to. We’re not going to be defeated, we’re going to 2022…. we don’t want this fair to die. Let’s use this energy and put it forward, and we will do it.”
With the hope that Covid-19 will be brought to heel in the coming months, the Committee began discussion of plans for funding, public outreach and resolving 2021’s loose ends to clear the way for next year. Refunds and letters of explanation are being sent to every vendor meant to be at the Fair; Downey noted that he called every vendor after the cancellation, and that the majority will be returning in 2022.
With the Committee consisting of an all-volunteer staff, work can quickly stack up on people performing multiple roles. Several new attendees sat and listened in to the public meeting, and sign-up sheets for jobs were passed around. The Committee is open and welcoming to any volunteer, with any time they feel they can dedicate to the Fair.
“If one hundred people give two hours, that’s two hundred hours of work shared,” Downey said. “If you sign up for it, we will never let anyone fail…. we help everyone. We will never let anybody go out there and not get any help.”
With the spirit of community strength and determination to move past the heartbreak of the 2021 cancellation, the Committee is ready to face down 2022’s planning challenges.
Photo Credit: www.facebook.com/TheSterlingFair