The Union County Fair Board is canceling its event next month.
In a written statement, the Fair Board stresses it was ready to operate the event as usual, but was stopped by Governor J-B Pritzker's office when it refused to issue permits to the carnival and food vendors.
The board reports when one of its members told the governor's office it would still operate a fair one way or the other, the governor's representative responded by threatening to cut the fair's state funding not only for this year, but for the remainder of Governor Pritzker’s term and if re-elected, that term too.
If the State of Illinois cut funding to the Union County fair, organizers say they would be not be able to have future fairs. That's when the board voted to cancel the 2020 event.
WSIU left a message with the governor's office seeking comment on the matter.
