2020 NMSF Cancellation
Why has the 2020 New Mexico State Fair been cancelled?
EXPO New Mexico is a state-owned facility and therefore falls under the purview of the Governor's current public health order. As cases of COVID-19 continue to surge throughout the United States, we are unable to safely execute the 2020 New Mexico State Fair.
The New Mexico State Fair draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year from around the state and around the country. Continuing concern over COVID-19 and the threat of spreading the disease through close contact makes it impossible to safely produce an event where thousands of people gather in one place. The health and well-being of our staff, vendors, and community is always our primary concern and we are committed to ensuring their safety.
Why couldn’t the fair be postponed to later in the year?
The New Mexico State Fair is a complex event. It is built on a vast network of vendors, competitors, sponsors, rodeo athletes, stock contractors, entertainers, amusement operators and hundreds of event staffers who bring their whole-hearted commitment to making our Fair one of the very best in the nation. Much of the planning relies on routing and schedules of entertainers and competitors. Many of the most popular attractions at the fair spend much of the Summer working at fairs and events throughout the country. Changing the fair dates presents a larger challenge of syncing schedules and securing available dates for those acts.
Why cancel now?
There is no right time to cancel an event. The State Fair is a dynamic event that showcases New Mexico's rich agricultural heritage, entertainment, innovation, and diverse culture. It requires an enormous amount of planning and coordinating with large industries, hundreds of small businesses, countless competitors, and hundreds of part-time staff. Many of our out-of-state performers have already indicated traveling under current mandatory quarantine periods in states across the country pose significant scheduling challenges. While we hoped for the best, for the sake of our employees, exhibitors, sponsors, vendors, and partners we could not prolong the decision any longer.
Who made the decision to cancel?
The announcement of the fair cancellation was made by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, after consultation with health and human services professionals of her administration and state fair officials. The health officials expressed continuing concern about the spread of COVID-19 predicted to occur as a result of a “super spreader” gathering such as the state fair. While we are heartbroken that the fair is not happening this year, we are committed to doing what we can to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Will there be any 4-H shows?
Officials from local 4-H chapters are working to organize safe shows for 4-H exhibitors. Contact your local 4-H extension office for more information.