Updated: 3:18 p.m.
Power has been restored to enough of the Winfield Fairgrounds for the Cowley County Fair to resume tonight.
The fair posted on its Facebook page at 3 p.m. the carnival will begin at 6 as scheduled. There will be no Ferris wheel as the damaged one was hauled off.
Barn 4 will be open as normal and there will be love music on the midway stage.
Earlier today the fair board decided to cancel the Figure 8 Races in front of the grandstand.
The fair posted anyone who purchased a Figure 8 ticket can used them for entry for either night of the PRCA rodeo Sunday or Monday night.
From earlier:
A severe pop-up thunderstorm early Saturday morning ravaged the Winfield Fairgrounds and surrounding region.
Straight-line winds blew over the ferris wheel at the Cowley County Fair and several campers were damaged and some totaled due to trees falling on them.
No injuries were reported at the fairgrounds. There were also no reports of injuries to 4-H animals at the fair.
The storm knocked out power across the region and much of Winfield. As of 11 a.m., there was still no power at the fairgrounds.
Fair Board President Josh Dobbs told Cowley Post the fair is not canceled and some 4-H events/activities have been postponed to Sunday.
The Figure 8 races will not happen tonight.
Dobbs said infrastructure issues at the arena in front of the grandstands are too significant to run the races tonight, and travel time to the fair for drivers was considered in making the decision to cancel earlier rather than later in the day.
Fair officials are meeting with the City of Winfield at noon to assess damage.
Chris Williamson, owner of WEEE Entertainment out of Derby, told Cowley Post as far he knew, the carnival expects to continue tonight and that just the ferris wheel suffered damage.
Williamson said his crews will be making another round of checks to make sure the rest of the rides are safe and ready.
Several vendors suffered damage to booths and tents. A roasted corn and lemonade/limeade vendor said he expects to reopen tonight.
More information will be updated as soon as it becomes available.
