BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Although organizers said there was overwhelming support for the fair through the fair food drive-thru and virtual junior auction, the Kern County Fair Board of Directors announced that it'll need to layoff 19 employees to stay afloat.

The board said the 19 full-time employees received a 120-day layoff notice. The organization said they will continue to operate with a staff of seven full-time employees.

The layoffs will be finalized on Nov. 13 and Dec. 1.

“No one could have predicted this pandemic lasting this long,” said CEO Michael Olcott “The impact that it has had on the events industry has been absolutely crippling.”

The fair was canceled this year due to the pandemic. However, officials teamed with seven vendors to put on a fair food drive-thru.

Officials said that 13,000 cars participated in that drive-thru.

The fair was able to sell 6,000 bags of kettle corn and a virtual junior auction was also able to raise $575,000 dollars.