While Wyoming's Big Show has been cancelled, the Sweetwater Events Complex board and staff is committed to the Sweetwater/Daggett County Fair. At this time, the Sweetwater/Daggett County Fair will be a scaled down version focused on youth 4-H and FFA projects. We will continue to provide updates as they become available.
Larry Lloyd, Executive Director explained, “Due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 situation, it is difficult to predict what the national, state, and community guidelines for events will be at the time of the scheduled fair dates. Our priority is ensuring that 4-H and FFA participants can complete their projects.” With state restrictions on gatherings the Sweetwater/Daggett County Fair will concentrate on 4-H and FFA participants, including those participating in static, small animals, horses and livestock.
Sweetwater Events Complex staff, working closely with Sweetwater County 4-H and Green River FFA, is preparing for a live show that will allow 4-H and FFA participants to showcase their projects. That live event would end with the youth livestock sale, just as it has in years past. Should restrictions by the Governor or University of Wyoming Extension make a live fair impossible, a virtual fair will be implemented. A virtual fair would consist of participants submitting photos and videos to be judged online and would also feature an online livestock auction.
Lloyd stated, “With the direct impact that the Sweetwater Events Complex has already taken from COVID-19 we have to be fiscally responsible but still allow our local youth to finish projects that many have already started. The Sweetwater Events Complex Board had some tough decisions but feels that scaling the event back to only 4-H and FFA events is the best decision.”
The Sweetwater Events Complex has been directly impacted by COVID-19 and has lost 36 events and over $1,072,052 in revenue this year and the staff is expecting both figures to increase. These cancelled events will also drastically impact local businesses, restaurants, hotels, motels, gas stations and more with the loss of about $5 million dollars in economic impact.