In the spring, people around southwest Florida are typically looking forward to the Collier Fair, a large yearly event that’s been delighting visitors for 44 years.
It normally features eleven days of rides, games, and plenty of live music and entertainment. But this year is far from normal.
"We are definitely shut down, as is everything else for the next few months," said TJ Snopkowski, Director of Marketing and Sponsorship for Collier Fairgrounds. He said the fair, slated to run from March 12th to March 30th, closed down on the 15th.
Although the Fairgrounds hosts several events throughout the year, the fair is what keeps them—a privately funded 501c3 that gets no taxpayer funding—afloat for the entire year.
While the organization is taking a big hit this year, Snopkowski said they are still distributing the contributions they promised to other nonprofits they raise money for. And he says there is some good news to look forward to: They are definitely planning the 45th Collier Fair for next year.
