CHARLESTON, WV (WOAY) – Gov. Justice announced that he will be awarding a total of more than $1.3 million, spread out among each of the state’s 392 fairs and festivals, in order to keep as many of these events afloat as possible moving forward.
All fairs, festivals, and similar events were closed two weeks ago for safety purposes.
“Because of this terrible COVID situation, because of a lack of funds, we stand to lose 50 percent of our fairs and festivals across the state if we don’t do something,” Gov. Justice said. “We can’t have that happen. That’s all there is to it.”
A total of $1,346,000 will be used to reimburse each of these fairs and festivals for the funding they would have received out of the state budget to hold their respective events.
“We’re doing this in an effort to ensure that we are going to continue to be able to have our fairs and festivals because, I think, in a lot of ways, these events are the backbone of our counties,” Gov. Justice said. “I hope to goodness that this will save a bunch, if not all of our fairs and festivals.”
