Coconino County Fair Livestock Shows Go Virtual

The following is a letter written by Arizona 4-H and Coconino County Parks and Recreation, producers of the Coconino County Fair. It was sent to 4-H exhibitors on July 31, 2020.

Dear 4-H Exhibitors, 

The Coconino County Parks and Recreation Department and 4-H Cooperative Extension Office have made the decision to move forward with virtual livestock shows and Clubwork exhibits at the 2020 Coconino County Fair. The decision comes after over 8 weeks of information gathering, planning, and meetings with partners such as Coconino County Health and Human Services, Fair Superintendents, and the Northern Arizona Junior Livestock Association. 

A shared value for Coconino County Parks and Recreation and Arizona 4-H is ensuring youth have a safe space in which to grow and learn. Both Coconino County Parks and Recreation and the 4-H Cooperative Extension Office feel that in-person livestock shows cannot be operated safely while maintaining current Federal, State and County guidelines. Additionally, 4-H's newly released guidelines for in-person 4-H activities calls for protocols such as requiring all events to have the County Extension Director approval one month prior to its date. This approval would be preceded by several two-week periods of declining positive tests, flat-to-increasing number of tests distributed, and a low-to-zero spread. It is evident that neither the timeline, nor the public safety requirements needed to achieve a safe in-person event will be met by the timeline for the 2020 Coconino County Fair. 

The platform chosen for these virtual shows is Walton Webcasting’s Cyber Stock Show, found online at https://www.cyberstockshow.tv. We believe this will provide the best experience for the exhibitor, as it allows for us to offer Showmanship Classes, the presentation is unique, and the production value is head-and-shoulders above the competition. Specific guidelines for signing up will be sent out early next week. 

4-H Exhibitors, including Clubwork, will enter their projects into the Coconino County Fair at http://www.CoconinoCountyFair.com/Entries beginning on Monday, August 3. Entries need to be submitted online by August 7, 2020. The 2020 4-H Fair Book will also be available at that address beginning Monday. Once entered and verified, the Cyber Stock Show takes over to help get the best possible media to be used for judging.  

The Northern Arizona Junior Livestock Association has also moved to a virtual experience this year. NAJLA will send out specific instructions on how to participate in their ShoWorks Virtual Auction shortly. Updates will be sent through the 4-H e-mail list, the NAJLA Website (NAJLAsite.org), and the Northern Arizona Junior Livestock Association Facebook Page (Link). 

We will continue to update you through correspondence such as this, but we also encourage you to visit our new Coconino County Fair Facebook Page (facebook.com/CoconinoCountyFair) for updates and as an easy way for you to communicate with us.  

Thank you and let us know if you have any questions or need assistance with your entries. 

Sincerely, 

Ricky Conway 
Coconino County Fair Manager 
rconway@coconino.az.gov 

Joshua Farella 
4-H Assistant In Extension 
farella1@email.arizona.edu  

Coconino County Fair Launches New Social Media Accounts

We are excited to announce that we have new Coconino County Fair social media accounts! These are the best places to go for information and to ask questions about the annual Coconino County Fair event, which takes place over Labor Day Weekend in Flagstaff, AZ.

As you hopefully know by now, this year’s Coconino County Fair has been modified and will be virtual for the first time in its history. We are planning entries, entertainment, vendors, and more — all virtual! All of our content for this year’s Fair will be available on the following platforms:

• Coconino County Fair Facebook

• Coconino County Fair YouTube

• Coconino County Fair Instagram

We’ll be posting more information as we get everything finalized. We’re sorry that it’s taking so long to get the word out about this year’s Fair. Turns out this is why no one wanted to reinvent the wheel — it takes a lot of time! In the meantime, follow and like us on our new platforms to get the latest updates.

We’ll see you at the Virtual Coconino County Fair, September 4 through September 7, 2020!

Coconino County Fair Modified due to COVID-19

June 8, 2020

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Coconino County Parks and Recreation is modifying the 71st Coconino County Fair due to COVID-19 concerns. This decision was reached after months of deliberation, research and consultation with local health officials and the Board of Supervisors. Several county fairs in Arizona have cancelled their events this year due to COVID-19 safety concerns.

During the June 2 meeting, the Board of Supervisors supported a modified event that will incorporate measures to focus on 4-H youth member exhibits, the livestock auction, and online or virtual ways to engage the community in lieu of an in-person event at Fort Tuthill County Park. The safety and health of attendees, exhibitors and staff are very important to the County, as is continued support to area youth with their 4-H and livestock projects.

The Coconino County Fair is held every year over the Labor Day weekend at Fort Tuthill County Park fairgrounds with over 40,000 people attending the event who travel from across the county and the state, making it the largest event in Northern Arizona. The event regularly features a carnival with amusement rides, food and amusement vendors, and live entertainment. The County decided to support a modified event this year because of the event’s large attendance and the distance people travel.

"The Coconino County Fair is a long-standing tradition that residents and visitors look forward to all year. We are excited about the possibilities to come out of the difficult decision to modify this year's event to focus on the 4-H exhibitors and junior livestock auction," stated Coconino County Chairwoman Liz Archuleta. "This is an opportunity for innovative thinking, and we can't wait to see what the Parks and Recreation Department plans for the 2020 Coconino County Fair."

Planning is currently underway for what components make up a modified county fair. Coconino County Parks & Recreation is asking the public to submit ideas about a modified County Fair at http://www.CoconinoCountyFair.com.