Iowa State Fair canceled for the first time since World War II

The 2020 Iowa State Fair was called off during a board meeting on Wednesday in response to the threat of the coronavirus, the Des Moines Register reports.

Why it matters: This marks the first time the fair has been cancelled since World War II. The event has been scrapped five times in its 165-year history, per the Register. Fair events were still held amid the 1918 flu pandemic.

• The Iowa State Fair was originally scheduled to take place August 13-23.