If you do a little planning, I’m almost certain you could find
something to enter in the fair. Afterall, the hall exhibit categories are extensive
and include hay and grain, vegetables, fruits and nuts, home and dairy
products, floral exhibits, needlework, art and photography, crafts, group
exhibits, homemade wine and beer, major contests, bees and honey, antique farm
machinery, entertainment, and essays. There are special competitions that
include the Homemade Chocolate Cake Contest, the 33rd Annual Blue
Ribbon Apple Pie Contest, the Angel Food Cake Contest, and the 4th
Annual Crock Pot Contest.
When you look at the Washington County Fair Exhibitor's Guide you will see that within all departments mentioned, there are sections of various sub-categories. For example, in Department 12 for hay and grain there is a grain and seed crop section where you can enter ears of corn, stalks of corn, sunflowers, oats, wheat, winter barley, sunflower seeds, corn seeds, soybeans, soybean sheaf with bean, rye, winter rye, speltz, and speltz sheaf. There are also sections that focus on hay, silage, straw, and baskets. If you look at Department 18 for needlecrafts in Section 4 for rugs, there are categories for braided, crocheted, hook, latch hooked, woven, knitted, miniature rug, novelty fabric, and rugs for special needs. Anyone under the age of 19 can enter the Open Youth competition categories for vegetables, food, floral exhibits, annuals, perennials, foliage plants, sewing and fabric crafts, needlework, art, crafts, and the PA Preferred Junior Baking Contest for cookies, brownies, and bars. (I think I got them all.)
Once you have your entries pre-registered, you will have
until the week of the fair to get things ready. All hall exhibits are to be
dropped off at the fairgrounds on between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday, August
7 or between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday, August 8. At drop off you will be greeted
by fair workers who will point you in the direction of the judging table. Please note: all entries must be
pre-registered, no baked goods will be received on Thursday, and all special
baking contest entries will be received on Saturday, Augusts 9 at the times
indicated in the exhibitor’s guide.
The judging, which is closed to the public, will be held at
4 p.m. on Friday, August 8. At this time, ribbons will be award to various
levels, with the best in each category winning a nice, big Blue Ribbon for
first place and the best of the best in each category winning a Best of Show Rosette.
All items must remain at the fairgrounds for the week so
that your friends and neighbors can see just how talented you are. Entries will
be released to the owners, who must show their entry ticket as proof of ownership,
between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 17.
The Washington County Fair has been a part of our community since
October of 1798 (that’s 227 years) and this old-fashioned competition is about
as pure and wholesome as it gets. There’s nothing fancy about the process, so
if you want to know the results you won’t find them online or published in the
newspaper. Instead, you will have to drive over to the fairgrounds and check
out the competition yourself. While you are there, you can enjoy some great
food, entertainment, carnival rides, and visit the farm animals. Oh, and if you
see a ribbon on the extra-large pumpkin you grew, you will be entitled to a little
bit of prize money…so, keep an eye out for that check!
The Washington County Fair will be held from August 9-16,
2025, at the fairgrounds at 2151 North Main Street, Washington. For more information
about the fair, visit: https://washingtonfair.org/
Larry
Maggi
maggil@co.washington.pa.us
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