How to Win Money and Ribbons at The County Fair

Across the nation there are opportunities to earn blue ribbons, prize money and pride in your work. Each year thousands of creative or passionate people enter everything from prize winning veggies to recycled craft items in local, regional and state fairs.
Once you've done it, you realize how satisfying it is to have others enjoy and appreciate your work. The attention comes first, the ribbon is a treat, and the prize money is the icing on the cake.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Exhibitor's guide for Fair(s) you want to enter.
• Handcrafted, homebaked, home grown and other creative items, made by you.

1. 
   Cover of an Exhibitors Handbook

   Obtain an Exhibitor's Handbook for the Fair you want to enter. These are usually available at the local cooperative extension office. Many are now published on-line as well. To find the booklet, search for the fair site, then select Exhibitor's Handbook. They are often in PDF format, and you can easily select the pages that interest you. No sense wasting paper printing out information to enter a goat if you want to enter your best dinner rolls!

2. Take your time and look through the Exhibitor's Handbook to determine your strengths. The catagories are usually divided into divisions like: Crafts, Foods, Flowers, Vegetables. They are sometimes divided down even further for example, stitchery might be under a Fancy Work category, and not filed under crafts. It will be very clearly laid out.

3. Once you have found "your" catagories, create to your heart's content! Many times only one entry per "class" is allowed, and generally the work is to have been done within the previous 12 months.

4. Be sure to read carefully the entry and drop off instructions. They are very specific. Some fairs require a list of entries sent in the week before the fair. Other fairs merely list the drop off times.

5. Allow time to tag your items when you drop off. Some fairs have tags ready to be handwritten, others have the tags printed out for you. Keep in mind that the various exhibit catagories may be in different areas, rooms or buildings. Home arts (baking, jams, crafts) are often in an area apart from Agricultural items (flowers, veggies)

6. Most Fairs have a Theme. Gearing your items to the theme might make the prize-winning difference between two otherwise well-presented items.

7. When you go to pick up the items (also at a very specific, designated time) you will collect your winnings! Ask where to pick up your vouchers for the various catagories. The vouchers are then brought to the Fair's Office (right on the fair grounds). Be sure to allow time, once again, as everyone who entered items will be doing the same as you.

8. Save your Exhibitor's Handbook as most of the catagories, rules and information will be the same the follwoing year. That way you can target your crafts to the catagories listed.

Tips & Warnings

• As you collect your items count to make sure you have them all. The Fair grounds often close down that day and it is difficult to catch up with someone to help you once they are closed.
• Heed any guideline regarding size of items or display.

Resources

• eHow Home and Garden Topic Guide