Confederate Flag, Other Merchandise Discouraged At State Fairs

By Mike Perleberg (Indianapolis, Ind.) - There might be no confederate flag merchandise sold at this year’s state fairs in Indiana and Kentucky. Organizers for both state fairs have made moves to prohibit and discourage vendors from selling or giving away confederate flags or any clothing or item sporting the stars and bars. It's one of the latest cold shoulders given to southern heritage since a massacre committed by a white gunman at a South Carolina church last month. The Indiana State Fair Board made the request in a letter sent to vendors this week. Fair spokeswoman Lesley Gordon told WRTV in Indianapolis that the fair “wants to be welcoming to all” by removing “objectionable material.” A similar move was made by a vote of the Kentucky State Fair Board on Thursday. Contracts already signed by vendors for this year’s fair cannot be changed, but the fair will “strongly discourage” confederate flag merchandise. New vendor contracts signed for the 2016 state fair will allow the policy to be enforced next year. The Indiana State Fair runs August 7-23 in Indianapolis. Kentucky’s state fair is scheduled for August 20-30 in Louisville. NASCAR has also formally requested that fans and race tracks refrain from displaying the confederate flags at racing events "in a renewed effort to create an all-inclusive, even more welcoming atmosphere for all who attend." Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the host of this weekend's Brickyard 400, is among the tracks to sign on in discouraging the flag. Speedway Motor Sports, Inc., owner and operator of the Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, also joined a July 2 statement from NASCAR industry members denouncing showing of the flag at races. Regardless, many fans at the Sprint Cup Quaker State 400 were seen wearing or flying the confederate flag.