Organizers of major Central Coast events hope 2021 will be better after cancellations due to COVID SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. – Nearly a year after the pandemic first hit the Central Coast, many local events are in limbo, waiting to find out if 2021 will be better. While COVID vaccines continue to be distributed on the Central Coast, major events like the Santa Maria Strawberry Festival and the Santa Barbara County Fair are waiting to find out if that will help enough to return in 2021. The organizer of those events, the Santa Maria Fairpark, says it's barely staying afloat financially. The Fairpark is not the only local fairgrounds suffering financially due to COVID.