With Governor Janet Mills outlining the plan on how Maine will reopen the state, two major Lake Region events — Bridgton’s 4 on the Fourth Road Race and Fryeburg Fair — are taking a wait and see approach regarding whether to cancel for 2020 or continue.

Jim Cossey recently had a query from a woman who had registered herself and two children for the popular Fourth of July road race and then sought a refund. His response:

“I’m responding to your e-mail to the 4 on the Fourth Road Race in which you requested a refund of the registration fees paid for those you registered. The race’s policy for a regular race is not to provide refunds for registrations, although we do so when a runner registers for the Bridgton race when they intended to register for the York race or the Elmswood, Ill. 4 on the Fourth.

That having been said, we will not offer refunds until the Race Committee makes a decision about whether or not the race will be conducted. At this point, with the current rules Governor Mills has put in place regarding the number of people who will be allowed to assemble; viz., 50; it is highly unlikely the race will take place, but that decision has not been made but will be made prior to June 1.

If the decision to cancel the race is made, we expect the options for runners who have registered will be the following:

(1.) Refund (refunds, if offered, would not include the administrative fee — paid to the registration company — charged for the registration);

(2.) Carry-over the registration to the 2021 race, including the retaining the placement in the first 500 runners; i.e., the runner would be automatically registered for the 2020 race without making any additional payment;

(3.) Offer to covert the registration fee to a donation to the Bridgton Public Library. (As you know, 90% or more of the race’s proceeds go to the library, and all proceeds are disbursed.)

As for Fryeburg Fair, the following message is posted on the fair’s website:

“The West Oxford Agricultural Society is hopeful that we will be able to host our annual Fryeburg Fair for the 2020 season (Oct. 4-11). We continue to closely monitor the current events surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic and will follow the guidance of local and state authorities, as well as the CDC. In the interest of public health, Governor Mills has ordered that all large events and mass gatherings must be limited to less than 10 persons through June, at which time it may be expanded to less than 50. We have postponed any events through these dates and are working to reschedule them if appropriate. Fryeburg Fair will continue to follow the guidelines offered by government agencies and health professionals before making any decision regarding this year's event. We understand the need to minimize any additional financial or social impacts this decision will have on the many businesses and organizations that participate. We are tentatively looking at the first part of June to make a decision on whether to proceed with the 2020 Fair. Thank you.”