Dear Editor,

What a question! Isn’t that what we’re all wondering? Can 2021 be better or as bad or worse than 2020? Well, to borrow a phrase from our friend at the Fort Bend County Fair, “If I could answer that, I would have a much higher paying job.”

Before we worry too much about 2021, I would like to take a moment and thank everyone for all the hard work that went into putting on the livestock shows and Youth Auction Sale in 2020. Yes, it was different. But, for what we were able to do, I think it was done excellently at all levels.

For the office, the main two things we had to work on were keeping up with the ever-changing COVID-19 protocols and deciding how those would work at our show and then getting internet access to the fairgrounds so we could have an online Youth Auction Sale. Thankfully, Robert Zoch with Zochnet out of Giddings called and offered to get us internet access for no charge during the shows and the sale. Then, we hired Cattle In Motion to handle our online sale and they offered to have our shows online as well! The Lord always provides, doesn’t He?

I know some in our community were upset when we canceled the other parts of the fair and much of that was out of our control. But throughout the days of the shows and the sale, I had many parents stop me or come by the offices and say how great things were going, how much they appreciated that we stayed focused on the kids, and several actually liked some of the changes and hoped they would carry forward.

So, moving forward … I wanted to let you know that our full intention is to have the awesome fair that the Austin County Fair Association is known for in 2021! The Entertainment Committee is working on having the perfect mix of traditional and new country music that you’ve come to expect. Our Livestock and Youth Auction Sale committees are looking to see what was learned from the 2020 Fair that can be implemented for this year. Our scholarship applications are currently open, and in April the Scholarship Committee will meet to award those. So, until we’re told differently, it’s full steam ahead.

However, IF the call had to be made to make modifications, we already know what we’re doing because we’ve done it! And did it well!

Stay Healthy. Stay Safe. And We’ll See Ya at the Fair!

Kim Quinney

Bellville, TX