The safety of our guests, staff and community is our number one priority. Below you will find procedures & guidelines the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center will institute to protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. These policies align with the CDC, Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) and Occupational Safety Health Act (OSHA) recommendations to the greatest extent possible.
All guests are encouraged to follow healthy behaviors to best protect themselves, including:
- Stay home if you are sick, or are exhibiting any of the following symptoms, including: cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain or sore throat.
- Based on currently available information and clinical expertise, older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions (heart disease, chronic lung disease, asthma, etc.) might be at higher risk for sever illness from COVID-19 and should not attend any event.
- An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public space where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after touching surfaces, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and dispose of used tissues in the trash.
Screening, Temperature Checks and Employee Training
- All exhibitors and guests will undergo a temperature check before entering the event daily.
- All ISFC staff, volunteers, vendors, and contractors will be screened before beginning their shift each day, including a temperature check and completion of a health survey.
- All ISFC staff, volunteers, vendors, and contractors will receive COVID-19 safety training.
Face Coverings
- All ISFC staff, volunteers, vendors, and contractors will be provided and required to wear an approved facial covering at all times.
- Face coverings are required for exhibitors and all guests visiting the State Fairgrounds. For those who do not bring their own, ISFC will provide facial coverings free of charge.
NOTE: A “face covering” means a cloth which covers the nose and mouth and is secured to the head with ties, straps, or loops over the ears or is simply wrapped around the lower face.Handwashing & Enhanced Sanitization
- Following CDC guidelines, we have increased the amount of routine cleaning and sanitization, with a focus on high-touch surfaces. We will continue using proven cleaning products in accordance with EPA guidelines. Electrostatic sprayers will be used in many of our large areas to allow us to apply disinfectant more efficiently.
- All pens, gates, and show ring equipment will be sanitized prior to exhibitor and animal arrival.
- All Pens, gates, and show ring equipment will be sanitized during changeovers between shows.
- All show ring equipment will be sanitized daily.
- Restrooms will continuously be sanitized throughout the event.
- Hand sanitizing stations will be readily available with a visible presence maintained throughout the Barns, at Show Rings, and in food and beverage locations.
- No-Touch Handwashing Sinks will be readily available throughout the barns.
- Disinfectant wipes will be available throughout the barns for exhibitor use.
- Water fountains will be unavailable.
Capacity Management
- Each exhibitor will be provided three (3) wristbands, one for the exhibitor and two for guests/guardians, granting access to the show buildings. No additional guests are permitted.
- This event is closed to the public.
- To encourage and promote physical distancing, capacity to each barn will be limited and monitored.
- Pens have been removed from the traditional Fair set-up, to provide wider aisles and allow for more room to accommodate physical distancing.
- All exhibitor entries will be made online, in advance of August 3.
- Total exhibitors per species will be limited to allow for social distancing. The system will not accept entries over this limit.
- Building capacity/social distancing will be monitored continuously in each barn.
- Some shows will be webcast and available to view online for those who are unable to attend:
- 4-H Swine
- 4-H Beef
- 4-H Sheep
- 4-H Meat Goats
- Grand Drive presented by Farm Credit Mid America
- Supreme Drive presented by Indiana Farm Bureau
Move-in/Move-out
- Livestock Move-in/out has been scheduled to reduce the number of exhibitors unloading at any one time.
- Pens/stalls will be assigned in such a way that limits exhibitors from walking through and intersecting with other exhibitors.
- Check-In will be conducted “Touchless” via iPad and Animal ID Reader. Volunteers will sanitize their hands between every check in.
- An empty pen/stall will be left between each family (6-9’).
- Exhibitors may leave as soon as they are done showing. (Typically Exhibitors are all released at once, and must stay for the duration of the show).
- Breed sifts have been eliminated.
- Visual health inspections will be performed prior to animals entering the barn. Inspections will be performed by a DVM, Veterinary Student or species expert.
Show Logistics
- Classes will be split to allow for physical distancing in the show ring.
- Show programs, paper, etc. has been eliminated. All information will be available electronically via the event App.
- Show Programs will not be posted in the Barn, as these typically create density of people around them.
- Declared weight system will be used to eliminate the need for forced scale use.
- Judges have been asked not to shake hands with exhibitors, and to judge from a distance as much as possible.
- Judges will sanitize their hands after each class.
- Results will be completely digital.
- Make-up rings will be limited to exhibitors only, and one class at a time.
- Class length will be limited to 15 minutes or less.
- Classes will be called to the make-up ring only after the previous class exits, to prevent crowding.
- Wash Racks & Grooming areas will be set-up to encourage physical distancing. I.E. every other space will be available.
Fans
- Pen/Stall fans will be required to be mounted high up, pointed towards the ground/animal, to avoid blowing on individuals and between different people.
- Fans will be monitored by show volunteers to prevent from blowing directly from person to person, person to animals, or animals to people.
- A 6’ space in front of ground-level fans will be marked off to prevent people from standing directly in front of the airflow discharge.
Seating
- Seating around the show rings in the Sheep, Swine, and Goat Barns will be modified to allow for physical distancing:
- Signage will be used in the Indiana Farmers Coliseum to encourage guests to leave 2 seats empty between individuals/families, and seating in every other row.
Grand & Supreme Drive
- A scaled-down Grand Drive will be held on Sunday August 9, in the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
- A scaled-down Supreme Drive will be held on Sunday August 16, in the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
- Seating in the bowl will be managed by ushers to assist guest in leaving a 6’ space between individuals/families, and seating every other row.
- No seats will be set on the show ring floor.
- Access to the floor with exhibitors will be restricted to those with wristbands.
- A separate wristband will be provided to Grand Drive participants/exhibitors. Each exhibitor in the Grand Drive will receive two wristbands; one for the exhibitor plus a guest.
Food
- The preparation and consumption of food will be limited to the designated picnic area. There will be no food consumption in the livestock buildings.
Contact Tracing
- To assist with contact tracing in the event a guest becomes ill with COVID-19, contact information (Name, Phone Number) exhibitor contact information is collected through the online entry system.
Enforcement
- All exhibitors and their guests are required to follow any and all COVID-19 safety measures that may be implemented when exhibitor/guest is on the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
- The failure or refusal of any exhibitor or their guest to comply with any COVID-19 safety measure may result in penalties for the exhibitor, up to and including, but not limited to, removal from the Indiana State Fairgrounds for the duration of the event.