Big Idea

• The Yavapai County Fair is canceled for 2020
• The last time the Yavapai County Fair was canceled was in 1918 - because of a flu epidemic
• The Yavapai County Youth Livestock Show and Sale will still be held
• Planning is now underway for the 2021 Yavapai County Fair

Rosie Darby, General Manager and Chairman for the Yavapai County Fair has announced that the majority of the events are canceled for 2020. Canceled events include exhibits, entertainment and the carnival. However, the Youth Livestock Show and Sale will be held.

Darby says that this was a difficult decision. “As the world has experienced the pandemic of COVID-19, life has changed. It was with heavy hearts and sadness the decision had to be made that the 2020 Yavapai County Fair will be canceled.”

The last time the Yavapai County Fair was canceled was in 1918 - and that was due to a flu epidemic. The Apache and Navajo County Fairs announced their cancellations this week. 

According to Darby, the Yavapai County Fair Board of Directors really hoped they could hold the annual event this year. "Each year as we finish up with the fair, the next fair is underway in planning,” Darby said. " 2020 was no different then any other year. Over the last few months, we have spent countless hours planning and preparing and working on plans to still hold a fair."

Unfortunately, since the community is still grappling with restrictions and health concerns, it just wasn’t possible to carry on with the event.

However, it is important to make sure that the youth’s efforts with their livestock are still recognized. Over the summer, the Yavapai County Fair sponsored a Livestock Camp and Show in June with over 200 exhibitors that came from Texas, California, New Mexico and all over Arizona. In July, the Yavapai County Fair held a Jackpot event, and there is another scheduled for August. 

Darby explained, "We are happy to be able to hold the Yavapai County Youth Livestock Show and Sale for 2020. This allows the youth livestock members from our county to be able to exhibit and sell the projects that they have been working on all year long.”

“The Youth Livestock Show and Sale event will be held Sept 10-12, 2020 at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds. The Youth Livestock Auction will be held on Saturday, September 12th at 5 PM as it has been in years past. We will provide more details about the event shortly."

Darby is optimistic about the future, and is already looking ahead. "We will now start planning and preparing for a 2021 Yavapai County Fair that is bigger and better. We hope that you will mark your calendars and plan to attend the 2021 Yavapai County Fair on September 9-12, 2021."