WAYNE – Wayne Area Economic Development (WAED), the Chicken Show Committee, and Northeast Nebraska Public Health Department (NNPHD) will meet on Monday, June 1, to make a determination on the 40th annual Chicken Show.
Abby Schademann is the Wayne Chicken Show Coordinator. She’s been the coordinator for three years. There’s been an alternate date selected for a condensed one-day event on Saturday, September 12, according to Schademann.
“Since it is the 40th we would be focused on the events have been around for quite a few years,” Schademann mentioned.
As of now, the Chicken Show is scheduled for July 10-12. If the event is to be held July 10th through the 12th, it will look much like any Chicken Show in the past.
The Chicken Show committee met on Monday, where they set the decision-making deadline of June 1. The committee is continuing to plan as much as they can in case the July date works out.
Schademann expressed the Chicken Show is continuing to work on sponsorships within the community, while understanding the financial hardship many businesses are going through during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Right now, we are totally aware this is not the greatest time to be asking other people for money,” she explained.
Therefore, they’re accepting pledges with an agreement that businesses may not be able to follow through.
Volunteers are still needed to make the show a success. Help is needed for the kid’s games. Extra hands help the stage events go smoothly. Making sure workers are hydrated is another way to volunteer during one of the hottest weekends of the summer.
By May 15, businesses have the option to order five or more Chicken Show t-shirts to save 10% off their total order. The business discount may end then, but anyone can buy a shirt after that date.
In order to work around social distancing restrictions associated with COVID-19, Schademann stated the Chicken Show will continue to work with public health officials and honor the six-foot rule.
“That’s (social distancing) definitely going to be encouraged,” Schademann said. “If we’re able to host it on the same day (July 10-12), but if that’s something that is going to be hard to do, that’s when we’ll look at maybe waiting until September 12th.”
The biggest determining factors on the date for the Wayne Chicken Show will be how safely the event can be put on. The extent of travel restrictions will have an impact because people from all over the world come to Wayne to see the Chicken Show.
For more information about the Wayne Chicken show follow their Facebook page @thewaynechickenshow, visit their website http://www.chickenshow.com/, call-in to 402-375-2240, or email them at info@wayneworks.org.