Gov. Jim Justice announced aid for the state’s fairs and festivals this week. The governor said he wants to help the state’s 392 fairs and festivals because he considers them a backbone of West Virginia’s counties. COVID-19 has caused the widespread cancellation of events at the local level, and also the West Virginia State Fair, and the governor said the state stands to lose 50% of its fairs and festivals because of it. Justice is taking money out of the governor’s contingency fund, with $1,346,000 to be disbursed among 392 recipients. This is in addition to the money they already receive from the state each year.