FILE PHOTO

By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

(Sept. 13, 2018) The 66th annual Worcester County Fair, slated for Sept. 14-16 at Byrd Park in Snow Hill, has been canceled because of the threat of Hurricane Florence.

The fair was originally scheduled June 23-25, but it was moved to September because, ironically, of poor weather conditions.

Kathy Decker, a volunteer and administrative assistant with the fair, said in a press release Monday the decision to cancel was made “with great disappointment.”

She added, “the forecast for worsening weather later in the week … could become a safety issue.”

“We are all just heartsick and disappointed, especially for our hardworking youth and exhibitors,” Decker said. “Mother Nature just was not in our camp this year.”

The decades-old fair had always been held during the second week of August, but was moved to June in 2017 because the weather is generally a little cooler in early summer.

“We will come back strong in 2019,” Decker said. “[We’re] not sure where or when, but we’ll be back for year 67. Nothing’s off the table, and we will weigh all the options and see what we can do. We have to continue pushing forward.”

A virtual version of the fair was set up on the Worcester County Fair Facebook page, showcasing entries for the estimated 1,700 people expected to attend the fair.

The next meeting of the Worcester County Fair Board is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. at the University of Maryland Extension office on 305 Bank Street in Snow Hill.

For more information, call 410-632-1972 or search “Worcester County Fair” on Facebook.