Bloomsburg Fair Canceled
By Peggy Lee
By Peggy Lee
from: www.wnep.com
8:48 p.m. EDT, September 14, 2011
The 157th Bloomsburg Fair is canceled due to flood damage.
It was the announcement Bloomsburg Fair officials said they did not want to make, still it was the only choice they had.
After a closed door meeting between the fair's board of directors and local officials and the board's legal team Wednesday evening, it was decided to cancel the 157th annual Bloomsburg Fair, despite attempts to salvage the event.
There are possible health risks because of all the flooding and the police and fire departments are exhausted and would not be able to handle the crowds associated with the fair.
"Took into a lot of considerations, we had legal advice, there's a lot of problems in the health area," said the Bloomsburg Fair Association President Paul Reichart. "And the board supports closing the fair this year."
The Bloomsburg Fairgrounds last Thursday was left under several feet of water when Fishing Creek overflowed its banks.
After the waters receded, vendors with stands at the fair volunteered to tackle the muddy mess, in the hopes the fair would still go on by the scheduled September 24th start date.
Vendor Charles Baker, owner of B & C Cafe in Bloomsburg said there was still a lot of work to be done, but thought they could do it.
"Their fences have to be restored, they have been wiped out by the flood. Buildings are being power washed. There's a bunch of great volunteers down here helping out," said Baker. "I'm optimistic it's going to open but if it doesn't, I know we gave to our best shot."
But the devastation wasn't only within the fairgrounds.
Homes lining the fairgrounds' perimeter each tell a story of a family's loss.
Homeowner Shane Wright lives right at the fairgrounds' entrance and said this was not the time for the fair..
"Just we're trying to rebuild and have to deal with traffic coming through here. just seems like it wouldn't be a good option for us or the whole neighborhood," said Wright.
There is a possibility that something will be held at the fairgrounds later this year, but the main goal of the fair association is to recover and ready themselves for next year.
Volunteers are still needed to help clear away the debris left behind by the flooding.
It was the announcement Bloomsburg Fair officials said they did not want to make, still it was the only choice they had.
After a closed door meeting between the fair's board of directors and local officials and the board's legal team Wednesday evening, it was decided to cancel the 157th annual Bloomsburg Fair, despite attempts to salvage the event.
There are possible health risks because of all the flooding and the police and fire departments are exhausted and would not be able to handle the crowds associated with the fair.
"Took into a lot of considerations, we had legal advice, there's a lot of problems in the health area," said the Bloomsburg Fair Association President Paul Reichart. "And the board supports closing the fair this year."
The Bloomsburg Fairgrounds last Thursday was left under several feet of water when Fishing Creek overflowed its banks.
After the waters receded, vendors with stands at the fair volunteered to tackle the muddy mess, in the hopes the fair would still go on by the scheduled September 24th start date.
Vendor Charles Baker, owner of B & C Cafe in Bloomsburg said there was still a lot of work to be done, but thought they could do it.
"Their fences have to be restored, they have been wiped out by the flood. Buildings are being power washed. There's a bunch of great volunteers down here helping out," said Baker. "I'm optimistic it's going to open but if it doesn't, I know we gave to our best shot."
But the devastation wasn't only within the fairgrounds.
Homes lining the fairgrounds' perimeter each tell a story of a family's loss.
Homeowner Shane Wright lives right at the fairgrounds' entrance and said this was not the time for the fair..
"Just we're trying to rebuild and have to deal with traffic coming through here. just seems like it wouldn't be a good option for us or the whole neighborhood," said Wright.
There is a possibility that something will be held at the fairgrounds later this year, but the main goal of the fair association is to recover and ready themselves for next year.
Volunteers are still needed to help clear away the debris left behind by the flooding.
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