RINCON — The City of Rincon is preparing to cautiously open its arms to a popular annual attraction.

During its Feb. 8 meeting, the Rincon City Council discussed an April 2-11 return for the Rincon Spring Fair, an event that was nixed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We would still like to host it — the (Rincon Recreation Department) would,” Rincon Recreation Department Director Mike Osborne said. 

Mayor Ken Lee voiced support for the fair — a recreation department fundraiser — as long as it operates with COVID-19 guidelines in mind.  

“This being a completely outdoor event, I would hope that maybe that would be something that we could make sure is a safe event,” Lee said. “Hopefully, everybody that attends takes the proper precautions. I guess we would just need to make sure that we are encouraging that in every way that we could to make sure that it is safe.

“I wouldn’t want an event that the city is sponsoring to be on the front page of the newspaper as a ‘superspreader event.’”

Osborne said handwashing stations would be set up at the fair site at Freedom Park. There would also be ample supplies of hand sanitizer available.

He added, “We will put on our fliers and advertise, ‘Please wear a mask.’ We would also have masks available for people who don’t have masks.”

Osborne said All American Amusements, a company used by the annual fair in Statesboro, sprays disinfectant on its rides after every use. 

The fair will is also slated to have a petting zoo that will feature a variety of animals and a pig race.

City Attorney Raymond Dickey told Osborne that the contract with the fair and petting zoo would need to include COVID-19 safeguards required by Georgia law.

The council opted to table a decision on the fair until the contracts are finalized. A vote is expected at the next regularly scheduled council meeting in March.