The 2020 Marion County fair was different than any other year. Only 4H and FFA members were allowed to take part due to COVID-19. Marion County Extension Youth Coordinator Mindy Hardman tells KNIA/KRLS News that livestock numbers remained largely unchanged, but static exhibit numbers were down. She says that those exhibits were judged differently this year, and in-person feedback was not available.

“This year, because we didn’t think we could offer a really good experience, especially for our younger kids, if they had to sit six feet away from the judge, or have a partition between them, we just thought that it wasn’t going to be the best scenario for our kids. They brought in their projects and dropped them off. Their write-ups, which they have to do every year, but that was all the communication the judge had with the child. The judge took those, they read through them, looked at all the pictures. That’s all they had to go off of. They didn’t get any additional information from the kids.”

While there is no state fair for the top exhibits to advance, the top exhibits were still recognized. 4H is still offering an alternative way for those to be showcased. To hear a complete interview with Marion County Extension Youth Coordinator Mindy Hardman, tune into today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.