Fairs, festivals bolster safety ahead of openings

As the Coastal Carolina Fair in Ladson, South Carolina, and the State Fair of Louisiana prepare to open, organizers and law enforcement are emphasizing safety for visitors. Coastal Carolina Fair officials say rides will be inspected daily before the gates open, with state inspectors and a third-party safety consultant involved; the fair will also use heightened security, including officers and metal-detection screening. In Shreveport, police will patrol the Louisiana fairgrounds in uniform and plain clothes, enforce a clear-bag policy and weapons ban, and use drones, camera trailers and a command bus to monitor activity. The fair has also reminded families that visitors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult age 21 or older to enter after 6 p.m.