Amid vaccine rollout, Minnesota State Fair organizers hopeful
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota State Fair organizers say there's a good chance that the Great Minnesota Get-Together will go on as planned this year.
The State Fair was canceled last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thursday Governor Tim Walz laid out the latest COVID-19 vaccination timeline, stating the goal is for every Minnesotan to be eligible for a shot by this summer.
"The thought of walking down those streets at Dan Patch Boulevard with a corn dog in my hand is like the happiest thought that I can imagine," said Walz. "That is within our reach. That is within our reach if we do things right, we continue to accelerate. That's the type of thing we have to look forward to."
Amid the vaccine rollout, Fair General Manager Jerry Hammer says that everything that's been projected so far has been encouraging. He says right now organizers are looking at different options for social distancing and are focusing on safety.
"I don’t think anyone expects it to be a quote normal fair," said Hammer. "But some sort of an event that is certainly as good as a fair that we can possibly do. If we stay on this trajectory that we’re on now then that certainly seems like a possibility."
While hopeful, there's still uncertainty. Hammer says that organizers will be keeping a close eye this summer on what happens to other large outdoor events.