After being canceled in 2020, the Kern County fair board announced that the Kern County Fair will be happening in 2021. The fair is scheduled to take place from Sept. 22 to Oct. 3. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some precautions and guidelines will be in place at this year’s fair.

According to responses on social media, many Bakersfield locals will not be attending the fair. COVID-19 and the health concerns surrounding it are cited as reasons why some people are not attending. “I’m not going to the fair this year because I don’t think enough people have been vaccinated for me to feel comfortable,” said Bakersfield College student Damien Lyons.

There are also different reasons others may not attend this year’s fair, “The fair is expensive and I am a working-class lad with bills to pay,” said BC student Josiah Nguyen.

In light of the pandemic, there will be precautions taken at the 2021 KC Fair. These include hand sanitizer being available at all tables and vendors throughout the fair, efforts will be made to keep fair sanitized, and contactless options for tickets and vendor payments will be available. The Kern County Fair website encourages all to “…attend only after evaluating their own health risks” and advises that “an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death.”

The Kern County Fair has released a lineup of the events that will take place this year that can be found on the fair’s website and social media. Some of these events include a performance by Walker Hayes on Wednesday, Sept. 22 which is free to attend with fair admission, and Smash Mouth on Saturday, Oct. 2.

Tickets for the KC fair are available for purchase online at kerncountyfair.com at a discounted price of $9 and will be available at the gate for $12. For children under 5 and those with a Military ID, admission will be free. Carnival wristbands are also available to purchase online for a discount and will be available for purchase at the fair.