2023 Barron County Fair Helpful information for 4-H Families

The Fair showcases and celebrates the achievements of Barron County’s youth involved in 4-H and other youth organizations 4-H members get the opportunity to show what they have been working on and learning throughout the 4-H year in all of their projects. It’s the GRAND FINALE of the 4-H year!

The Fair:

Decides on what can be shown at the fair. Makes the fair book. Hires Judges. Sets the schedule. Makes the rules.

4-H:

Supports members in their learning year round. Shares important information about the fair. Supports youth during the fair.

Members/Families:

Register by deadline Work with Club Leaders to meet requirements/ deadlines. Bring Entries to the fair. Share their hard work.

I want to show at the fair, What do I need to do?

Information about registering for the fair: You can find information about the fair in the latest Barron County Fair Book. Copies of the book can be found with your club leader, picked up at the Extension office, or found online at barroncountyfair.com. How do I enter 4-H youth in the Barron County Fair? 4-H members complete their registration for the fair by the entry deadline. It is preferred that exhibitors register online at barroncountyfair.com. Please make sure you enter the correct address information as this is where premium checks will get mailed to. Registration Deadlines Online Registration deadline JUNE 20 Paper Registration form deadline June 10 What can I enter in the fair? You can register any projects you have worked on related to your 4-H learning. Some Departments have specific requirements for showing (please see fair book for guidelines) What category/age group do I use? Youth should enter things in the grade they just completed, grades are based on the 4-H year. What if I put something in the wrong category/age group? Bring it to the fair and let the judge know. They will help you put it in the right category. What if I can’t figure out where to enter something? Ask or make a best guess. (LEGOs are entered under Mechanical Sciences, Models)

How many things can I enter? Some Departments have limits on what can be entered, however youth may not enter more than one project under the same class. (example, In the Cultural Arts Department (J-18), you can enter multiple drawings, but only 1 artistic drawing in crayon (small) — class 11 and 1 zentagle (class 31). Can a parent enter things in the fair? Yes! You can enter in the open class. Check the fairbook for information or visit barroncountyfair.com Fees. There is a $5 fee for all youth fair entries. This pays for your wristband to get into the fair for the whole week. Check with your club leaders on how to pay, each club writes 1 check for ALL wristbands so it is important to contact your club leader for specific requirements. Don’t send your own check to the fair. (Open class entries are $10 and sent individually). When do I bring my entries to the fair? Animal entries have specific times listed in the fairbook/on the website for arrival and judging. Conference judging is on the Tuesday of Fair week from 1PM-6PM. Make sure you check requirements for entries (some have specific display guidelines) Fair Tags: You will need to pick up your fair tags from your club leader prior to fair week. They will let you know when/where. You will tag your projects before you bring them to the fair and keep the bottom portion to pick up your project after the fair. What if I registered a project but didn’t finish it? That’s ok, just throw away the tag. What if I am missing a tag? Bring your project to the fair, take it to the judge and tell them you do not have a tag. Someone will make you a new one. When can I take my entries home? Animals and Exhibits must remain at the fair until the release time, 5:30PM unless otherwise communicated. How are things judged at the fair? Youth Animal Entries are judged at specific times during fair week using criteria listed in the fair book. Most animal/livestock entries are judged Danish style during the run of the fair. All information can be found in the fair book or online at barroncountyfair.com. Youth Exhibits: Non-Animal entries are brought on Tuesday of fair week from 1PM-6PM. Each entry is individually judged via conference judging (face-to-face meeting with the judge). This means youth meet with judges in each department and talk about their entries. There will be signs pointing you in the right direction when you get there. Pre-Fair Events: There are some pre-fair events (Foods Revue, Cake Decorating, Performance Arts Entries, etc.) you cannot enter in these after the event has happened. Check for dates in the fair book. What if I still have questions and can’t find the answer? Feel free to contact whoever you are most comfortable contacting, someone will point you in the right direction. Contact your Club Leader Contact the Extension Office: 715-537-6253 or 4h@co.barron.wi.us Contact a Fair Superintendent (phone numbers are listed in the fair book). Fair Superintendents help ensure a department runs smoothly during the fair. Contact the Fair Office (Jacque Schaffer): When in doubt, contact Jacque Schaffer, the Barron County Fair Secretary at 715-296-0440 or barroncountyfairsecretary@gmail.com or call the fair office 715-736-FAIR and someone will return your call: **Please remember that most of the individuals helping with the fair are volunteers and sometimes it is hard to get immediate answers. Just know that someone will help you figure it out. If you have questions, PLEASE ask. But remember, the closer we get to fair time, the busier it is. Plan ahead. We are here to make sure participation at the fair is a positive experience!