One of West Michigan's most iconic events, the Ionia Free Fair, will return in 2021 after taking the year off in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year's fair will run from July 16 through July 24, 2021.

Whether or not the event would be happening this year was the question on a lot of people's minds until the official announcement was made Wednesday morning.

Ionia Free Fair board president Lisa Sanford told WZZM-13,

We have been working on different scenarios, with the idea that we would have some kind of event in 2021 while paying close attention to what was happening with COVID and state mandates.

This year's fair will feature the things everyone has come to love about the event -- live music, monster trucks, supercross, the demolition derby and, of course, the midway games.

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The live music portion will take place throughout the week of the fair and will feature The Insiders (a Tom Petty Tribute Band), southern rock band Saving Abel, Michigan country band center stage, Mega '80s, and Wrecking Crue (a Motley Crue cover band).

WZZM-13 reports that there is a slight change to the youth fair component of the fair. This year, children will still be able to show and sell animals, it just will not be something that is officially sanctioned by 4H due to the organizations COVID restrictions.

The queen's contest will also be back again this year -- anyone wishing to run for Ionia Free Fair queen can get the info to apply on the fair's website. Contestants must be 17 years of age by July 1, 2021 and can be no older than 24.

Ride passes and parking passes are already on sale and can be purchased online through the fair's website.

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