Rain closes Monmouth County Fair early
FREEHOLD - The weather conspired against the Monmouth County fair causing it to close early for the year on Sunday afternoon.
Fair spokeswoman Karen Livingstone said the Fair at the East Freehold Fairgrounds in Freehold has stayed open through several rainy days and nights as there has been no lightning. But the showers seemed to be getting heavier as the day went on and she said their private weather service was calling for lightning later in the afternoon.
"We talked to the vendors, the Fair chair and the whole Fair committee and the decision was made, 'Let's close early and get ready for next year,'" Livingstone said.
A Flash Flood Warning was issued by the National Weather Service for east-central parts of Monmouth County on Sunday afternoon after 2 inches of rain fell during the day and another 2 inches was expected fall during the afternoon.
She said that although attendance was "way down" this year, "the people who were here really enjoyed the fair. It's a summer tradition in Monmouth County we'd like to continue but the weather wasn't with us this year. We'll be back."
The Monmouth County Fair is organized by the Monmouth County Park System in cooperation with the Monmouth County 4H Association.