The Arizona State Fair will not take place this fall. The century-old event was canceled Thursday due to concerns over COVID-19.
The board in charge of the event made the announcement after reviewing information provided by the Arizona Department of Health Services — though it did not rule out hosting some fair events virtually.
Chairman Jonathan Lines said the decision was not made lightly, noting the fair's economic impact averages $90 million annually and supports more than 300 businesses.
"This has been a deeply challenging decision for everyone," Wanell Costello, the fair's executive director, said in a statement.
The fair has been an annual October tradition for 136 years.
Last year's event drew more than 1.2 million attendees.
