This year’s county fair is looking more and more normal all the time.
Logan County Fair Board members voted Saturday in a special meeting to host rides and carnival games at this year’s exposition, reversing a previous decision to not host midway entertainment.
The fair board has contracted with Cambridge City, Indiana-based Jessop Amusements to stage rides, games and cotton candy. The agreement with Jessop came at the suggestion of Durant Amusements, which had been the fair’s longtime ride company.
Because of coronavirus-related complications, Durant was not going to be able to provide the rides and midway entertainment for this year’s fair, and that fact was the impetus for the board’s original decision to suspend rides and games at this year’s fair.
Much consideration will still be given social distancing, and there will be fewer-than-normal midway games as a result.
Still, the addition of rides provides a major opportunity to draw in a larger crowd than the pared-back fair that board members had settled on in May.
Jessop Amusements is owned by Jay Jessop, and has been in business since 1990. The carnival ride company has a 4.6-out-of-5 rating on Facebook from individuals that have reviewed the ride company.
Jessop Amusements was asked to leave a Lafayette, Ind. festival in 2015 after two children were injured when “human error” caused a motorcycle ride to malfunction because of a bolt that wasn’t properly tightened.
Children’s injuries were minor and were limited to scrapes and bruises, according to published reports about the incident.
The Logan County Fair begins Sunday, July 12, and continues through Friday, July 17. Admission is $7 on Sunday and Friday; and $5 on Monday through Friday. Children seven and under get in free.