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Winston-Salem Cancels Carolina Classic Fair

Winston-Salem officials have called off this year's Carolina Classic Fair. KERI BROWN/WFDD

The city of Winston-Salem has canceled this year's Carolina Classic Fair, citing the rising trend in positive COVID-19 cases and the ongoing restrictions for mass gatherings statewide.

The 10-day event was scheduled to take place in early October.

City leaders were looking forward to holding the regional fair under its new name, along with showcasing the rebranded facilities.

But Mayor Allen Joines says in a news release that not holding the fair is the correct course of action given the increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases in Forsyth County and statewide.

Fairgrounds staff still hope to hold some virtual events.

The annual fair draws around 300,000 people. Officials project that the city will lose $670,000.

It's one of many area events called off due to the pandemic, including the Bowman Gray racing season and the fall season for the Winston-Salem State University football team.

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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