How to Enter a Fair Competition

Where do I start when I want to enter?

Start with the fair's own website or fair office. Nearly every fair publishes a premium book, also called a fair book, exhibitor handbook or entry guide. It lists every department, every class within it, the people allowed to enter, and the steps for registering. Download it or pick up a printed copy, and treat it as the only authority for that fair.

This site is an independent guide and is not connected to any fair. Because each organizer writes its own rules, a tip that works in one county may not apply in the next. When the premium book and any general advice disagree, the premium book wins.

• Search for the fair by name plus the words premium book or exhibitor guide
• Call or email the fair office if the book is missing
• Check whether open class and youth divisions use separate books

How do I read the classes and divisions?

Fairs sort entries into departments such as baked goods, field crops, fine arts, textiles or livestock. Inside each department are numbered classes that describe a single kind of entry, for example one specific type of item at one size or one age group. You enter a class, not a department.

Read each class description slowly. Details about quantity, size, presentation, labeling and whether an item must be made within a certain period often appear in the class text or the department's general rules. Missing one small requirement is one of the most common reasons an entry is set aside.

Who is allowed to enter?

Eligibility is set by each organizer. Some fairs require residency in the county, some accept entries from a wider area, and many separate youth from adult entrants and 4-H or FFA members from open class. Some limit how many entries one person can place in a class.

If your situation is unusual, such as a new resident, a homeschool group, or a person with a disability who needs an accommodation, ask the fair office before the entry window closes rather than guessing. Fairs generally welcome questions, and an early answer protects you.

What does the registration process usually involve?

Most fairs ask you to complete an entry form listing your name, the classes you plan to enter and a short description of each item. Forms may be online, on paper or both. Some fairs assign an entry tag or number that you attach to the item. Where you submit, how, and by when are all stated by the organizer.

Keep a copy of what you submitted. If a question comes up later about a class or a tag number, having your own record makes it easy to sort out. Never send more personal information than the form asks for, and be cautious about any request for payment or details that does not come from the fair's own published channels.

• Gather the form, the class numbers and any required signatures
• Ask a parent or guardian to review a youth entry
• Photograph or copy the completed form

What happens on drop-off day?

Drop-off, sometimes called check-in or entry day, has set hours and a set location. Volunteers or staff verify your tags, check that the item fits the class, and place it in the display area or hold it for judging. Arrive with time to spare, because lines form near the end of the window.

Bring the item protected from weather and handling, plus any paperwork the fair asked for. Many fairs have rules about when you may take your entry home after the fair, so note the release time before you leave. Items left behind may not be the fair's responsibility.

What should I do after the entry is placed?

Judging usually happens before the public opening, often without the exhibitor present. Results appear as ribbons, placings or a posted list, and some fairs offer written comments. Take any feedback as information for next year rather than a verdict on your skill.

If you disagree with a placing, the premium book normally describes how concerns are raised and who handles them. Staying polite and following that process is the way to be heard. Finally, thank the volunteers. Fairs run on them.

Write down your own notes while the day is fresh: what went smoothly at check-in, which questions you wished you had asked and what you would pack differently. Those notes make next year's entry far simpler.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the County Fair & Rodeo Guide Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.