State Fair Meadowlands Canceled

After initially being pushed back from its June opening, the annual State Fair Meadowlands at the Met Life Stadium parking lot in East Rutherford, has been canceled altogether for this summer.  The Fair had been rescheduled to run from July 23 to August 9, but due to growing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and fears that social distancing would not be maintained, the plug on the popular attraction has been pulled.

Last summer more than 400,000 visitors attended the Fair, which features rides, carnival attractions, shows, pig races and plenty of food.  The decision to shutdown means approximately 1,000 employees won’t be working the 2  1/2 week long event.

The Fair usually generates upwards of $1 million in tax revenues.

Al Dorso, the owner and operator of State Fair Meadowlands, who also owns two, professional, minor league baseball teams in New Jersey, the New Jersey Jackals and the Sussex County Miners of the Frontier League, posted on the Fair’s Facebook page that, “We are heartbroken to announce that the State of New Jersey has denied our plans for 2020 State Fair Meadowlands.”

Dorso says the Fair plans to be back in 2021.  This is the first time in its 30 year history that the State Fair has been canceled.