2021 Ark-La-Miss Fair Canceled for Second Straight Year

The West Monroe Civitan Club voted Tuesday at their weekly luncheon meeting to cancel the 2021 Ark-La-Miss Fair, held annually at the Monroe Civic Center.

This year’s fair, originally scheduled to run Oct. 1-10 was canceled by the sponsoring Civitan Club, citing uncertainty of the length of hurricane Ida evacuees being housed Civic Center, and COVID concerns brought on by the Delta Variant.

“Last week, I was about 80-90 percent sure we were going to have this year’s fair,” said Fair Board chairman Mike Shields. “After this weekend’s events in southeastern Louisiana, we had to make a decision. Today was our drop-dead date. And, we very much regret we had to.

“We’re in the middle of the hurricane season and historically when a storm like Ida affects an area like Katrina did, our region draws thousands of evacuees in our civic centers, rec centers and similar facilities,” said Shields. “The difference in this year with Ida and Katrina 16 years ago is the evacuees at the Civic Center were transferred and housed at the old State Farm building. Homeland Security folks tell us that capacity is not available this year.”

Events affected include the ABBA Brahman Bull Points Show and the ArkLaMiss Open Livestock Show and the annual Arts and Crafts Show. All entry money already sent in will be refunded.

Shields said the serious lack of electrical power in southern Louisiana is making an even bigger impact on the club’s decision to cancel. More than 350 evacuees are housed at the Civic Center, report Homeland officials, with more evacuees anticipated.

“We, of course, already had our concerns about COVID implications with the new Delta Variant and not wanting to be a super spreader type event, but Belle City Amusements have been on the road since January with very few problems dealing with the virus,” said Shields. “With our numbers up in this area and hospitals packed with victims, we just had to make a decision today on the overall conditions.”

Fair vendors for example start buying their supplies for the fair which would have started 30 days away. Same would go for the non-profit Civitan Club, which has significant start-up costs.

“If we had to cancel any sooner, those charities might lose that expense money and that’s not good,” Shields said.

Revenue from the fair, the Civitan Club’s major annual fund-raiser, allowed more than an average of $55,000 each year to go back into the local community charities, according to Club president Wes Mouk.

“With last year’s cancelation on top to this year’s it’s been tough for us,” but we’ll survive, thanks to our Civitan Club’s financial management,” said Mouk.