LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Crowds, rides, food and fun — this is how most of us know the Kentucky State Fair.
Opening day of the 2020 fair, however, looked nothing like years past. Looking at the empty parking lot outside the Kentucky Exposition Center on Thursday, you would never know that one of the state's largest annual events is going on right now.
The 2020 Kentucky State Fair is closed to the general public because of the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning only those participating in livestock, equestrian and other competitions will be allowed in. There will be no vendors or entertainers.
"We're not having the fair just to check it off and say we had one," said David Beck, president and CEO of Kentucky Venues. "We're trying to make sure it is reasonable, its logical, it has value. But first and foremost, even without COVID coming in, we were going to make sure that it was going to be safe."
All participants will be required to wear a mask during the event. Daily temperature checks are also mandatory before participants will be allowed to enter the fairgrounds through Gates 1 or 4. Participants with temperatures at or above 99.6 degrees will be denied entry but can get retested after 30 minutes.
Livestock shows will be livestreamed on the fair's official website. The World's Championship Horse Show will be broadcast on its official website in a pay-per-view format.
The fair will still run its typical 10 days, through Aug. 30.
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