Salutations!
Summer is almost over, the 4-H year is just getting ready to start and so is the Arizona State Fair! The past year and a half have been crazy, but we’re excited to have a fair once again and to see all the amAZing stuff you’ve made. Since last year’s fair was unfortunately cancelled, we are making a rule change for this year only. We will be accepting entries from 4-H members from the previous 2019-2020 year along with the current 2020-2021 4-H year work. This includes 4-H members who would have aged out last year. Items completed for the 2019-2020 year must be entered in their respective division categories (JR/SR; Year, etc.) at the time they were completed.
With county fairs across the state being cancelled last year and into the spring of this year there are many fall fairs and events taking place during our receiving time. We still want to see your entries from across the state! Please contact 4-H department coordinator Jaime Flora to see about making special arrangements to get your entries in.
Remember to mark your calendars - the Arizona State Fair entry deadline for 4-H Competitive Entries has been extended to Tuesday, September 14th, 2021, at 10:59pm.
We’ve got all kinds of exciting opportunities at the Arizona State Fair for you this year!
Premier Awards:
Our Premier Awards program is designed to encourage more participation from 4-H members from all around the state in the Arizona State Fair 4-H Department.
Each County with 4-H members participating in this Department will be eligible for the following awards:
- Premier Exhibitor (1 per County) – Exhibitor with the highest overall point total for all entries in this Department from their respective County.
- Premier Club (1 per County) – Club with the highest overall point total for all entries in this Department from their respective County.
- Premier County – the County with the highest average points (County point totals/divided by County exhibitors in this Department).
Points for these awards will be based on: Blue Award (3 points), Red Award
(2 points), White Award (1 point), No Award/Participation (0 points), Rosettes
(0 points).
Premier Exhibitor winners will receive a trophy and a rosette in honor of their hard work and accomplishments from the year.
Display Cards
We encourage everyone who enters the fair to submit a 3”x5” card for each of their exhibits filled with information about their project! Judges and fairgoers can learn more about what we do in 4-H, how your project was constructed, what made it challenging or unique, and it allows members to share their experience with everyone. We strongly urge everyone to do this as it is an enlightening opportunity to look back on your project. Judges will also use your comments about the project during their evaluation, so you can make your voice heard without having to be there. We encourage you to get creative with your display cards as these will be considered a part of showmanship.
Selling Opportunity:
The Arizona State Fair will be offering an opportunity for the 4-H members to allow their exhibit entries to be sold to the public. When you submit your entry through Showorks you will be asked if you would like to sell your item or not and if so to enter an asking price. As fairgoers view the exhibit displays if they like your item that you’re willing to sell they will have the opportunity to purchase it and the fair will take care of the sale. If you don’t want to sell your exhibits that is fine too! This does not guarantee a sale but does provide a potential opportunity for you to make money to offset the costs of your project and fund some new ones. The Arizona State Fair does take a small commission for handling the sale. For more details contact the 4-H Department Coordinator.
Exhibit Special Contests:
We’ve changed things up a bit this year! Check out the new contest categories for our 4-H exhibit special contests which are open to all Juniors & Seniors! Members do not need to be enrolled in these project areas to enter, and they will not count towards the Premier Awards. Entries cannot be dual entered in a special contest and as a regular fair entry – must be one or the other. (See the 4-H Exhibitor Handbook pg. 11 for more details.)
- 4-H Story Display Contest
- Fair Ribbon Contest
- Quick Cookies Contest
- Arts & Crafts Challenge (Featured Medium: Toilet Paper Rolls)
- Animal Costume Contest
Events & Activities:
This year we will be having some special all-day events and activities for 4-H members and fairgoers to participate in at the fair.
Button Making: Come make you very own 4-H button for you to wear or put on your backpack to show your support for 4-H!
Origami & Cloverbud Activities: Calling all Cloverbuds! Visit the 4-H Department where we’ll be hosting all kinds of activities geared for Cloverbuds (ages 5-7). Learn how to make your own 4-H cootie catcher!
Run of Fair Contests:
Fair Fun Photo Contest (10/1-17): Share your favorite things about the fair in our photography contest. Entrants must bring their own camera. Submit 3 photos by October 18th. Winners will be on display the final week of the fair.
Soup of the Day Contest (10/2; 2pm): Share your best homemade soup with us! Soup will be judged on appearance, texture, and taste. Whose soup will be the best soup of the day?
Best in the West Judging Contest (10/2; 3pm): Try out the best food the fair has to offer and test your abilities as a judge. Learn how to evaluate food and provide reasons for your decisions.
Cupcake Decorating Contest (10/16; 2pm): Demonstrate your skills decorating a set of cupcakes to your own unique theme. Members must bring their own cupcakes and decorating supplies. All decorations must be edible. Bring a decorated board to display cupcakes and showcase theme!
Fashion Revue Contest (10/23; 4:30pm): Show off your favorite style with hand- made or purchased & coordinated garments.
Chili Cook-Off Contest (10/30; 2pm): Share your best homemade chili with us! Chili will be judged on texture, flavor, and consistency. Who will be crowned as having the best chili dish?
Floral Arrangement Contest (10/30; 4pm): Try your hand at making a beautiful fall themed floral arrangement that you get to take home! All supplies will be provided.
Virtual Contests:
Skill-A-Thon Stations: Skill-A-Thons will be conducted virtually through an online testing program. Testing will include questions and stations and will be timed to limit outside resource use. Each week we will have different Skill-a-Thon virtual contests for members to test their knowledge in various project areas including Small Stock; Family & Consumer Science; Equine Science and Large Stock. Project enrollment is not required but must be a current 4-H member or 4-H alumni (can’t leave them out of the fun!)
Cloverbud Coloring Contest Drawing: Cloverbuds can complete the contest coloring page and either drop it off at the 4-H Department or mail it in to receive a drawing ticket for a gift bag of 4-H goodies! Coloring pages will be on display the run of the fair as space allows.
4-H Creed & Public Speaking Contests: Record and submit videos presenting the 4-H creed and/or speaking about the selected topic for Cloverbuds, Juniors, and Seniors. Videos will be submitted via an online platform once registration is received.
Please see the attached flyers on this email for more information regarding these contests. Registration forms must be received by the deadline for free admission to the fair. Email registration forms to Jaime Flora: JaimeFlora@live.com. Onsite entries will be accepted on the day of the contest.
Demonstrators:
If anyone is interested in showing off what they do in their 4-H project area, we are looking for demonstrators. This will be an informal demo – we will have tables setup for demonstrators to display posters, tools, decorations, etcetera on. Demonstrators will interact with the public one-on-one, versus speaking to an audience.
This is an excellent introductory opportunity for anyone wanting to get into demonstration or public speaking to help build their confidence and presentation skills.
Club leaders and members can also use this opportunity to setup informational booths about their 4-H club or 4-H in general to recruit new members.
Any 4-H club leaders or members interested in helping with fair sponsored workshops please contact Jaime Flora for volunteer opportunities. We’d love for 4-H kids to have an opportunity for public speaking/emceeing events on the state level.
Community Service Opportunity:
The 4-H Department will be hosting a station where fairgoers can complete coloring pages which will be made into Cards for Soldiers. We need your help assembling these cards! Come by the 4-H department anytime to volunteer to assemble cards for community service credit. You must sign in with the Department Coordinator or the staff to obtain service credit.
We are always looking for feedback on how we can make things better and easier for you, our exhibitors! Please feel free to contact me anytime by phone or email with any comments, suggestions, ideas, or questions you may have. Also, if you would like to be included on any future mailings regarding the Arizona State Fair or would like to fill out our survey, please send me an email with your request.
Hope to see you at this year’s Arizona State Fair!
Sincerely yours,
Jaime Flora
Arizona State Fair
4-H / Scouts Department Coordinator
623-225-9506 (Call/Text)
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