The 2021 Arizona State Fair will remain at the Arizona State Fairgrounds downtown, where it has been held for more than a century at, after a plan to move to Chandler was temporarily scrapped, the fair’s board announced Thursday.

An inability to secure the necessary infrastructure to hold the fair at the Gila River Indian Community’s Reservation in time for October prompted the return to the central Phoenix location. COVID-19 related supply chain problems across the country are causing delays in materials and supplies needed to hold the fair at the Community. Due to these challenges, manufacturers are unable to guarantee on-time delivery.

The Gila River Indian Community and Arizona State Fair continue to study the possibility of moving the Fair to the Reservation in 2022, in a manner that will be mutually beneficial to both parties.

The 2021 Arizona State Fair will open Thursday, October 2 and run through Saturday, October 30 at the Fairgrounds, located at 19th Avenue and McDowell. More information will be available at AZStateFair.com.

“We are committed to creating the best experience for the State Fair guests, partners and sponsors,” said Jonathan Lines, Chairman of the Arizona Exposition and State Fair Board. “Due to the limited timeframe and supply concerns, keeping the Fair at its existing home makes the most sense for 2021.

We remain committed to working with the Gila River Indian Community to see if we can move the Fair to the Gila River Indian Reservation in 2022 in a manner that is mutually beneficial to both sides.”