“We don’t have a deejay or any trophies or trophy judging,” Wirth said. “We don’t have our indoor vintage racing exhibit because the reason we’re allowed to exist under current state orders is that these people are in here retailing their car parts whether it’s used parts they dug out of their attic or whatever.
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“Those things are permitted right now as we understand it, but exhibitions, shows, entertainment and all that stuff is not permitted, so we cancelled all of those things and they didn’t happen, but our public all seems to be pretty happy the way things are.”
Originally scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, the meet was moved when the state was under a more strict stay-at-home order that included the closing of non-essential businesses.
While some of those have been lifted or eased, patrons were encouraged to maintain six feet apart and vendors required to wear masks.
“We’ve had a few vendors grumble and complain, and a lot of vendors who tried to not wear the masks, but we went around and insisted that they did put them on,” Wirth said.
Attendee Danny Willis of Louisville, Ky., said he has been attending the swap meet since 1999 and took no issue with masks while John Hugentober of Lebanon called the social distancing measures a good compromise compared to not having the event.
“I think it’s really good that they’re doing it,” Willis said of the masks.
Another regular attendee, Scott Beard of Beavercreek, said he saw a better turnout than he expected.
“Much better than I thought it would be,” Beard said. “People want to get out and enjoy themselves, and from the vendors to the participants it’s been a great turnout.”
Dean Blair, the executive director of the Clark County Fairgrounds, was excited to have the site back open for business.
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After the Walneck’s Motorcycle Swap Meet in early June and a pair of horse shows, there is a chance the fairgrounds will have a more normal summer than appeared possible in April when almost everything was shutdown for an indeterminate amount of time.
“It gives me a lot of confidence when we do these,” Blair said. “When we did the Walneck Motorcycle Swap Meet, that was a nice one to start with because it is predominantly outside also and and it was one that’s a little smaller where you could really space it out. And here we go into a little bigger event where this one is spaced out well, too.
“I drove around last night setting up and then I drove around again today a good bit and then I walked by foot around today and just as I noticed things,” Blair said. “Even though I might be doing a little shopping myself, I’m noticing other things that maybe the average person wouldn’t notice. I’m looking for the ‘x’s in front of concessions for the social distancing marks. I’m looking at vendors to see if they have on a mask, and I’m looking for how much are the crowds wearing a mask and I’m wearing a mask myself.”
The meet is scheduled to go through Sunday, and will be back Sept. 4-6 and again Nov. 14.
“I’ll just say overall that we’re pretty fortunate to be able to do this at all right now,” Wirth said.
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