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With fall county fairs just around the corner, it’s time to start preparing to get involved yourself and help your children prepare to be involved in the county fair. Most farm kids know that come July 1, it’s time to get serious about the fair. Many participate in 4-H clubs and FFA programs, raise spring animals and plant gardens, hone photography skills, and work on home economics projects.
Forty-four counties in Arkansas host fairs throughout the year, most of which culminate in the Arkansas State Fair, held October 11-20 in Little Rock.
At our house this summer, part of our summer bucket list included craft projects, such as bean designs, sun catchers and phone photography; all activities we knew would help us learn a new skill, work together as a family, and knock a few more items off our fair projects list.
General Tips for Getting Fair Ready
- Start early and get organized: The earlier you start preparing, the more time you’ll have to perfect your projects and practice your presentation. Keep track of animal schedules and create a project binder to keep your documents in one place.
- Ask for help: 4-H leaders, family and friends can provide valuable advice and support. Local Extension Office agents are excellent resources or FFA sponsors at your school.
- Have fun! Participating in the fair is a great way to learn, meet new people and have a good time.
- Make notes on your phone or calendar about what you want to do differently or try for the following year.
- Attend the fair. We like to leave school early one day after the judging is complete and check out our awards. We also walk around, look at other entries, visit the show barns, and even pet a few animals.
- Cheer for others. The fair is a great time to celebrate agriculture and its legacy. While we all get a little caught up in the competition, this is a week we all win when we focus on our shared interests.
4 Tips for Preparing to Show Animals at the Fair
1. Start Training Your Animals Early
- The sooner you start training your animals to walk on a lead, stand still for grooming and judging and load and unload from a trailer, the better prepared they will be for the fair.
- Start by building a strong bond with your animal so they are more receptive to training.
- Establish a consistent routine for your animal.
- Use positive reinforcement methods when training your animal.
- Be patient and consistent with your training. Training an animal takes time and effort, but it is worth it in the long run.
2. Get Your Animals in Show Condition
- Feed your animal a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates to build muscle and maintain a healthy weight.
- Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate with a proper electrolyte program.
- Give your animal at least 30 minutes of exercise daily to help them stay in shape and reduce stress.
- Groom your animal regularly to remove dirt, debris and loose hair.
- Start worming them about six weeks before the fair, and follow the veterinarian’s recommendations for vaccinations
3. Practice Showing Your Animals
- Once your animals are in show condition, you should start practicing with them to help them get used to the process and build their confidence.
- Find a local show or practice ring to practice.
- Ask a friend or family member to practice judging your animals and get feedback from experienced showmen on improving your presentation.
- Practice prepares your animal and give you experience.
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4. Plan Your Trip to the Fair
Gather supplies and plan your trip to the fair, including transportation, lodging, and a plan to house animals.
5 Tips for Home Economics Fair Projects
Home economic enthusiasts are busy preparing final works from meticulously sewn garments to mouthwatering baked goods. Creative Arts and Creative Writing are gateway opportunities for younger children to become interested early, using craft projects from school, VBS, Cloverbud clubs and summer camps.
1. Start Early and Plan:
Gather your supplies to ensure you have everything to bring your projects to life.
Many participants gather their projects year-round, so they have multiple options.
Knowing what pieces are complete helps you plan for what else you want to enter.
Create a comprehensive list of materials, ingredients, and tools required for each project to avoid any last-minute surprises.
Remember to include mounting materials like mats, frames, hangars, and poster boards.
If you are entering baked goods or fresh produce, have a timeline to know what you must do since both areas involve last-minute entry.
Be realistic about what you have time to accomplish.
2. Read the Details:
Look through the details of the fair book, and don’t assume it’s the same way it’s always been. Know how many vegetables or jars you need to exhibit. Understand if you can use kits or if everything needs to be made from scratch. Check if you can have more than one entry per category. Paying attention to details could mean the difference between Grand Champion and no ribbon at all!
3. Gather Your Supplies:
Once you’ve finalized your project choices, gather supplies. Start in your home, look for recyclable materials, and check a craft corner or school supply stash. Look in your attic and that closet under the stairs. What do you already have that you could repurpose? Plan to tackle one project at a time to see if you have time to do more. Add supplies to a grocery delivery or visit hobby shops and dollar stores to get everything you need.
4. Get busy and Create:
Start making and have fun! You can even check out books from the library for design inspiration or tips on a specific topic, like folding origami, flower arranging, needlework patterns or basket weaving. You could also invite a friend to work on projects together. Camaraderie is part of the process.
5. Prepare for Drop-off:
Whether your community requires you to pick up tags ahead of time or have a list ready, any way you can organize your entries before you arrive for drop-off will ease the process. Pre-register the participants so they expect you, and you already have your registrant number. Consult your fair book and note division, section, and class numbers with sticky notes or another listing system. Bring a pen and have your items organized in bags or a box.
Now, it’s time to have fun and enjoy the fair. It will probably be a hot week—that’s what happens in Arkansas. But no worries—everyone else is sweating, too!
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