The Garland County Fair—Just Around the Corner!!

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. –

Garland County Fair time is just around the corner!  Right now lots of 4-H kids are watching over and preparing their animals for the fair.  They are carefully monitoring whether or not they are eating properly.  The kids are measuring out feed quantities that will grow their animal to be the best in its division.  Hours will be spent feeding, cleaning stalls, and handling the animals in order to have them ready for the show ring by the September event. 

     What if a young person doesn’t show an animal?  What if they live in an area where animals are not allowed or maybe they do not have room for raising an animal?  There is a place and an event for every youth who would like to participate in the fair!    In the Youth Baked Goods Department, a young person can enter cookies, cakes, yeast bread, quick bread, pies, and candy such as caramels, fudge, divinity, brittle, and many others!  Perhaps Food Preservation is more suitable for the youth’s taste.  They can enter preserved foods of all varieties--vegetables, fruits, jams, jellies, and pickles.  Herbs and dried foods can be entered as well as honey. 

     Maybe food isn’t a young person’s best talent.  How about sewing?  Youth can enter items they construct.  Some of the options are household linens, infant clothing, youth wear, dolls, animals or toys with handmade clothing, and decorated or embellished clothing, hand bags, tote bags.  Along with embellished constructed items, youth can embellish purchased clothing, linens, and accessories, too.  A quilt division is offered for the youth of Garland County.  Youth can submit items they have knitted, crocheted, cross stitched, embroidered, or woven. 

     Craft is another area for youth to participate in the fair.  Among last year’s craft possibilities were macramé, rugs, basketry, weaving, wood burning and wood carving, ceramics, wreathes, flowers, arrangements, potpourri, flower pots, holiday crafts, and hobby collections. 

     Youth can participate in fine arts and photography.  The fine arts possibilities include many different modes of painting, drawing, and pastels.  Photography includes color and/or black and white photos of just about anything.  Youth participants can also write poetry and short stories.

     Horticulture is another area of youth competition.  Youth can submit plants, floral arrangements, and garden and farm products.  Don’t forget to submit your Giant Pumpkins and Giant Watermelons! 

     Kids can take advantage of the talent show.  Categories include vocal solo, vocal group, dance solo, dance group, and instrumental solo and group.  They can enter the Fair Queen Contest, Junior Miss, Princess, Little Miss, or Tiny Tot contests.  Don’t miss out on a week of showcasing and celebrating the people of our county. 

     The Garland County Fair is a community endeavor.  It is a time when the people of the county bring projects they have been working on—whether it is animals, food, crafts, or plants—to showcase.  Fair time is quickly approaching.  The Fair Books will be available on-line and in print soon.  Make plans to look at all the different entry possibilities and submit one or several entries.  Don’t forget to read all the important information for each category.  Entry forms are required for several of the categories and deadlines for entries may vary.  Make the most of the County Fair and submit your entries to help make it the best one ever! 

For more information on entering items in the fair, contact the Garland County Extension Office at 623-6841 or 922-4703, email Linda at lbates@uada.edu, or visit our website at www.uaex.uada.edu.

4-H Information

We have several 4-H clubs for our Garland county youth who are 5 to 19 years old.  For more information on all the fun 4-H activities there are, call the Extension Office at 623-6841 or 922-4703 or email Linda Bates at lbates@uada.edu.

EHC Information

Are you interested in joining an existing Extension Homemakers Club? EHC is the largest volunteer organization in the state. For information on EHC call 623-6841 or 922-4703 or email jvincent@uada.edu.

Master Gardeners

If you’re interested in becoming a Master Gardener and would like more information, you’re welcome to attend their monthly meeting on the 3^rd Thursday of each month at 1pm at the Elks Lodge.  You may also call the Extension office on 623-6841 or 922-4703 or email abates@uada.edu.

The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative

By Linda Bates
County Extension Agent - 4-H
The Cooperative Extension Service
U of A System Division of Agriculture

Media Contact: Linda Bates
County Extension Agent - 4-H
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
236 Woodbine Hot Springs AR 71901
(501) 623-6841
lbates@uada.edu

The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact your County Extension office (or other appropriate office) as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.