Mississippi State Fair kicks off Wednesday

Mississippi State Fair kicks off Wednesday

GOVERNORS RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDERMEANS FAIR GOERS WILLNOT BE REQUIRED TO WEAR THEM.VENDORS AND WORKERS WILL ... MALONE'S TAFFY IS A FAIRSTAPLE...SETTING UP FOR THEEVENT THAT KICKS OFF WEDNESDAY.CHANDRA D'AVY SAYS IT'S GOING TOBE WEIRD..INSOME RESPECTS ... BECAUSE OF THEPANDEMIC.CHANDRA D'AVY/VENDOR: IT IS.

THEMASK AND GLOVES TRYING TO DO THECANDY AND THE WRAPPERSAND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A LOTDIFFERENTSCOTT SIMMONS: NO WAY TO GETAROUND IT IS IT?CHANDRA D'AVY/VENDOR: NO SIR,NOT WITH THIS COVID GOING ON.BUT FOR MANY OF THESE TRAVELINGVENDORS,THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW STATEFAIRS THEY HAVEGOTTEN TO WORK.

THE PANDEMICFORCED MANYTO CANCEL FOR THIS YEAR.

DAVEHIGGINBOTTOM/VENDOR: THE SOCIAL DISTANCING ISGOING TO BE THE BIG THING AND WEARE GOING TO SEE HOW IT GOES..GRACIE'S CAFETERIAHAS BEEN SETTING HERE ON THEMIDWAY FOR DECADES.

NOWOPERATORS ARE HAVINGTO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES.

DAVEHIGGINBOTTOM/VENDOR: WELL WE ARE GOING TO FINDOUT OBVIOUSLY OUR SEATING ISGOING TO BE LIMITED ...WE AREGOING TO HAVE SOCIAL DISTANCINGWITH THE SEATING..SO THE TABLESWILL BE 6 FEET APART.VENDORS AND RIDE OPERATORS WILLHAVE TO WEAR MASKS BUT THE AGCOMMISSIONER SAYSPATRONS WILL NOT BE REQUIRED.ANDY GIPSON/AG COMMISSIONER:WHAT WE TELL PEOPLE IS LOOKBRING A MASK IN CASE THEY CAN'TSTAY SOCIALLY DISTANCED 6 FEETAWAY, IF THEY GET NEXT TOSOMEONEON A RIDE AND THEY DON'T FEELCOMFORTABLE WE SAW PUT IT ON.

WETELL PEOPLE COME ON BRING YOURMASK AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONEWE WILL HAVE ONE TO GIVE YOU ATTHE ENTRANCE TO THE FAIR.GIPSON SAYS THERE ARERESTRICTIONS TO THEINDOOR EVENTS, THE AG AREAS WILLBERESTRICTED.

THE RIDES....WILL BEUNDESTRICT SANITATION REQUIREMENTS.ANDY GIPSON/AG COMMISSIONER:EVERY RIDE WILL BE SANITIZED INBETWEEN EVERYONE OF THERIDES, SO EVERY SOMEONE SITSWITH HIGH TOUCH AREAS WE WIPEDOWN.IN ADDITION TO THAT THEREARE SOME HIGH TECH MISTINGMACHINES THESE RIDES WILL BEMISTED TWICE A DAY WITH SOMEDISINFECTANT THAT WILL KILL ANYGERM.THE PLAN TO KEEP COUNT ....ONLY200 PEOPLE PER ACRE...A MAX OFABOUT 20-THOUSAND TOTAL AT ANY ONE TIME.FAIR OPERATORS SAY ..IF YOU HAVEA HEALTH RISK,PERHAPS THIS IS NOT THE YEAR TOCOME TO THE FAIR.

SEVERAL OF THELARGE GATHERINGEVENTS HAVE BEENCANCELLED....LIKESENIORS DAY.

BUT THEY WILL BELIVE STREAMINGALL AMERICAN DAY.THE FAIR OPENS WEDNESDAYEVENING.LIVE AT THE FAIR GROUNDS, SCOTTSIMMONS 16 WAPT NEWS.