State Fair

 

The NC State Fair is quickly approaching from October 16-26, 2025. We wanted to remind you of the various opportunities you can participate in at the fair.

You can view the premium book and all the competition details online at:
NC State Fair 4-H Competitions

Click the Competition Information Section.

Entry Deadlines:

Please refer to the deadlines listed under each section in the premium book.

For 4-H Crafts, Exhibits, Entomology, Photography, Haybales, etc.:

• Entry Deadline: Sunday, September 15, 2025

• Haybale Decoration Time: Specific times will be allocated.

Exhibit Drop-Off Times:

• Deliver exhibits to the Education Building Saturday, October 11; Sunday, October 12 from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm; and Monday, October 13 from 8:00 am - 12:00 noon. • Exhibits released from other fairs will be accepted until 3:00 pm on Monday, October 13 with entry tag from prior fair. Call 919 839 4513 for details.

• Location: Education Building

• Haybale Decorating must be completed on Saturday, October 10 thru Monday, October 13. Location:  Grassy area in between of the Kerr Scott Building and the Administration Offices.

• Pick-Up Date: Monday, October 27, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Please see this section for specifics on when you can bring your items. Ensure you allow enough time to complete your entry process by Noon on the deadline day. We are open the weekend prior to the fair, so please avoid waiting until the last minute.

Competitions:

• County Exhibits: Pre-assigned with one per Extension District. The following counties—Perquimans, Onslow, Orange, Hoke —have been contacted and are working on their booths to represent each district. Must be completed by Sunday - October 12.

• Categories Open to Any 4-H’er:

• 4-H Crafts

• 4-H Photography

• 4-H Entomology

• 4-H Hay Bale Decorating (1 entry per county; submission must be coordinated by the county 4-H agent and registered as the County 4-H Program.

Competition Guidelines

• Competition is open to North Carolina residents only, and youth must be registered in 4-H online.

• Two entries per exhibitor, per Class.

• Entry registration deadline is Sunday, September 15, 2025

• NC Substitute W-9 forms are required to receive prize money.

• Deliver craft exhibits to the Education Building Saturday, October 11; Sunday, October 12 from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm; and Monday, October 13 from 8:00 am - 12:00 noon. • Exhibits released from other fairs will be accepted until 3:00 pm on Monday, October 13, with an entry tag fromthe prior fair.

• General Rules and Regulations of the Fair will govern this department.

• The point system used for judging in each class aids the judges in selecting winners, but is not the sole factor in the awarding of ribbons and placements.

A Breath of Fresh Fair

    The following article was written for the Robesonian by our own Shea Ann DeJarnette, 4-H Extension Agent. 

    Fall is in the air. You can tell when you take a deep breath of this cool, crisp, fresh fair…I mean air, or do I? “A Breath of Fresh Fair” is the theme for this year’s Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair, which opens on September 27 and runs through October 5. That’s right, nine days of food, rides, and family fun. Nine days of new entertainment, new competitions, and fresh looks all over the fairgrounds.

    The first thing you might notice is our new look. Our theme comes with a new design featuring our new entertainment, rides, agricultural roots, and food. No other fair can highlight collard sandwiches like we can. After all, this is where this food favorite got its start.

    We are excited to announce an entirely new lineup of professional and local talent to our schedule. From The High-Flying Pages to MythiCreatures, and welcoming back Lew-E’s Comedy Circus, this family-friendly grouping will have you glued to your seat, laughing, and learning all at one time. We are also excited to welcome Rob Cole from The Voice with special guest Anna Grace Hunt from American Idol, kicking off our local entertainment schedule. We have groups such as Antique Outlaws, Carolina the Band, and tons more available for no more than the cost of admission to the fair. Let’s not forget the favorite local gospel groups, dance groups, and local artisans who will be demonstrating how they create their amazing art work.

    We will have competitions available only at the fair on a daily basis. Things like the Chicken Pickin’ Contest, ChainSaw Competition, Diaper Derby, and so much more. So many of the competitions are open to the public to compete in and others are free to watch. For example, the 4-H Animal Shows bring in youth from across the state to compete and see who is the best showman; raises the best market goat, heifer, sheep, rabbit, or chicken; or who has the best team judging poultry.

    Let’s not forget about the biggest competitions of all, home exhibits. This is where your school art, Lego builds, canning products, and more can be entered and judged (youth against youth and adults against adults). You can earn ribbons and premium money for your efforts. For most folks who take part, this is about the ribbons and bragging rights; imagine telling folks you have a blue-ribbon jelly or knitted a blue-ribbon afghan. That is so much fun, and not everyone can say that. To take part in this competition just bring your entries to the fairgrounds on Sunday, September 22, from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m. or Monday-Wednesday, September 23-25, from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Let’s not forget, you can pre-register on Fair Entry at https://www.fairentry.com/Fair/SignIn/20948

    I know that sounds like a lot, but we haven’t even scratched the surface of the offerings at this year’s Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair. To check out the schedule of events, purchase tickets in advance, or see our specials, entertainment line up, and more, go to www.robesoncountyfair.com and plan your Breath of Fresh Fair.

    For more information, please contact Shea Ann DeJarnette, 4-H Youth Development Agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, at 910-671-3276, by E-mail at Shea_Ann_DeJarnette@ncsu.edu, or visit our website at https://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/. Shea Ann is also licensed by the Emily Post Institute as a child etiquette teacher.

4-H Animal Science

 

4-H Animal Science is the cornerstone of the 4-H program. Youth get the opportunity to raise an animal for show at the fair. In the process they learn about responsibility, record keeping, anatomy of that animal and more. It is a fun project with real world learning opportunities.

This year we are turning the animal science project on its ear so please read the following information carefully.

-All youth taking part in this project must be actively registered in 4-H Online to receive an animal.

- This project is open to all youth ages 5-18. Please note our 5-7 year old Cloverbud division is non competitive.

- Youth must register and pay in Eventbrite prior to the deadline.

-Please note the deadline to register and pay for the Turkey project is earlier than all other animals. The deadline for this project will be April 8.

- If completing the turkey project youth will also be required to show at the state turkey show prior or during the state fair.

- Before registering please consider the needs of the animal (cost, pen, feed, outdoor area, predators, fencing, weather, etc.) before registering for this project. Once you register care, food, and other needs will be the responsibility of the family. Also think about vacations and schedules so that you can maintain a steady schedule for your animal in terms of water, feed, exercise, etc.

- There will be a mandatory Animal Science training and animal give-out at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair Grounds on June 29 from 9:30-11:30 am.

- Other in person scheduled visits, video trainings, and possibly in person trainings per species are likely during this process. This will be discussed at the animal science meeting/training/giveaway in June.

- Youth are required to show their animal at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair.

- We recommend the youth start by showing rabbits or chickens as a first project and move up to larger animals such as turkeys and goats.

- Please check the zoning ordinances and if applicable Home Owners Association policies, on raising animals where you live.

-Youth may complete up to 3 different animal projects.

- A project record book will need to be completed and turned in as part of this project. There will be a training on record books and we will offer virtual help in completing the books. Please note that there is a separate competition for record books in January as well that you may turn these books in for. More information will be given about that program during training.

To register please go to programs in your app or click this link:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4-h-animal-science-robeson-county-tickets-873386541657

If you have any questions please contact Shea Ann DeJarnette at sadejarn@ncsu.edu or Jade McNeill at jade_mcneill@ncsu.edu

Miss Artastic? Don't Worry!

  4-H Members, families, Volunteers...are you the crafty type?  Do you maybe knit? Bake? Have  green thumb?  Well think about entering your items in the Robeson Regional Agricultural fair.  Not only will you have the chance to have your hard work viewed by thousands you might also win premium money and ribbons.  Imagine being able to say you grew a blue ribbon fern, or your bush produces award winning pomegranates. How many folks can say that?

  Entering items is easier than ever.  Drop off times at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair are from Sunday, September 24, 1-6 pm; Monday-Wednesday from 4-8 pm.  This year they have something new, to help you stay out of the lines.  You can register your items online before you get there with their new fair entry system.  One of the benefits to that is if your family has a 4-H Online account you should be able to sign in with your 4-H Online email and password.  If you prefer not to do that you can create your own account with fair entry.  

  Just follow the prompts and don't worry about "creating" invoice, there is no charge for entering your items.  Just keep hitting the continue button until you get to submit.  Take your items to the fair during one of the drop off times and let a volunteer who is registering know that you registered online and give them your name.  They will check you in and print your tags for you.  It really is that easy.

  To enter items into the fair just go to:  https://fairentry.com/Fair/SignIn/19121

Robeson County Fair Cancelled for 2021

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Allen Faircloth

Cell:  (910) 734-2733

E-mail:  allensautomart@aol.com

Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair is Cancelled for 2021

          After a great deal of work and effort the members of the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair regret to inform you that this year’s fair will be cancelled.  “We are less than a month away from opening the gates and this is not the announcement we wanted to be making,” said Allen Faircloth, President of the Robeson Regional Agricultural fair.  “After looking at the numbers here in Robeson County our board feels that having the fair would put the lives of our citizens at risk, and we just can’t and won’t do that.”

          The board members voted in their September meeting to cancel the fair after looking at the recent numbers that came out from the Robeson County Health Department, consulting medical professionals affiliated with our hospital, and having discussions with many of their patrons and partners.  “With the COVID positivity rate over 15% in this county and the small number of folks who have been fully vaccinated, and being told that the numbers are likely to increase in the next week to two weeks because of folks taking part in large crowded Labor Day activities, we feel the only responsible thing that we can do at this point is cancel the fair for the well being of our community.”  Allen Faircloth went on to say, “This breaks our hearts.  Our board is made up of volunteers who have worked hard to create a fun and safe environment for our patrons, and at this time we feel like our efforts alone are not enough to safely move forward.  So we have done what we feel is the only responsible thing, and we will not open the fair this year.”

The Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair is moving forward and planning that the fair will be bigger, better, and safer in 2022.

From the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair

Please see the message below from the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair 

"With great sadness, we are forced to announce that the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair Board members voted tonight to cancel the 2020 fair. At the heart of this decision was the health and well-being of you, our patrons, vendors, entertainers, carnival workers, and yes, our board members.

Please know we have explored options from opening with a huge variety of safety measures in place, to just opening portions of our fair such as the carnival and food vendors, to virtual shows and exhibits, and even creating a whole new online experience for you. However, in our hearts we knew that it would not be the same quality experience that you deserve and we refuse to sell you short.

As previous years have shown us with the challenges of hurricanes, the fair has been a healing event for the community, and the economy. As much as we all hoped that would be the case this year COVID is reminding us that your life is more important. So, we will wait until 2021 and take the time to look at some new ideas, plan for bigger and better, and continue to pray for you, our community, and our partners in this fair, that you remain safe, healthy, and strong to join us in the future.

Thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you at the 2021 Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair."

This article was written for the Robesonian and can be found on line at the NCCE, Robeson County website.

The Power of Youth

— Written By Shea Ann DeJarnette and last updated by Kareis Britt (2 months ago)

The year 2020 is in high gear for 4-H. I already have my first conference of the year under my belt. In the last week, I had the privilege of attending the North Carolina Association of Agricultural Fairs (NCAOAF) Convention in Cary. This is a really neat organization made up of county, regional, and state fairs – not to mention carnivals and folks in the amusement industry. The association’s sole purpose is promoting agriculture.

Needless to say, North Carolina Cooperative Extension is made up to support agriculture. As you know, 4-H’s roots are in Ag, so it seemed appropriate that a 4-H Agent might be in attendance. It also seems common sense that one of the issues this organization is facing is that of an aging workforce, just like agriculture. Most folks know that the average age of a farmer in Robeson County is 58 years old. Although we do have a small number of younger folks that want to farm, increasing costs and land values make it extremely difficult for young folks to break into the business.

The Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair also has a volunteer workforce that mirrors the average age of our farming community. The fair is proactive in that regard with a Junior Fairboard, which consists of a group of high school age youth who volunteer at the fair. The youth are  often found running some of our newer contests and constantly infusing a fresh new feel to our fair. However, once they graduate, they rarely come back after the age of 21 to apply for membership track. This means our fair (and others around the state) are looking for those 20- to 30-year-olds to bring in, train, and carry on the fine tradition of the Agricultural fair.

We have fairs in this state that are well over 100 years old. As a matter of fact, we are nearing the 75th anniversary of the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair. I dare say the fair is a timeless event that, as it was pointed out at this conference, adds value not only to agriculture in our communities but also leaves a large economic impact in our communities through increased revenue, community donations, scholarships, and more.

I tell you all of this as we go into the new year to remind you of the power of our youth. Now is the time to groom, encourage, and support them to step up into our community roles, let them flourish, and help keep these important traditions alive. Traditions that will evolve with technology, interests, and changing environmental factors. It’s time to take on this challenge – find the youth and educate them. Become a volunteer with 4-H, the fair, or another important organization in our community, and let’s harness the power of youth to make the future bright.

For more information, contact Shea Ann DeJarnette, Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent, at 910-671-3276, by email at Shea_Ann_DeJarnette@ncsu.edu, or visit our website.

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University are collectively committed to positive action to secure equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination and harassment regardless of age, color, disability, family and marital status, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. NC State University, N.C. A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

Getting Ready for the Fair

  Does it seem a little early?  That’s because the fair is about six months away, but getting ready for it starts now.  Our 4-H members came out to the fair with high expectations and ready to learn all about the animals that they will be raising to show at fair.
  After learning about project records and record keeping it was time to delve into the specifics.  Our Poultry folks got their laying hens and/or turkeys today.  The speckled Sussex are a relaxed chicken that should follow our participants around the yard.  Our turkeys are giant white turkeys and should offer our participants a challenge that only turkeys can provide in raising them.
  The rabbits are Silver a Foxes and as cute as cute can be.  At four weeks old these cute brown and grey rabbits can get up to six pounds, but probably not by fair time.  Each rabbit was happy to be held and cuddled and was looking forward to going home with their new care taker.
  We still have one animal to give out which is our goat. We will have more on that in the next week. In the meantime we would like to wish all our 4-H members luck, love, and fun with these 4-H projects.  You can see more about them at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair.  Fair dates are September 27 thru October 6. Our first show will be Saturday, September 29.

Letting Them Get Your Goat

April showers may bring flowers, but in the world of Robeson County 4-H we are growing animals instead.  Today marked the annual animal science workshop where our youth get their animals and learn how to raise them (not quite in that order).  We started with our rabbit training that included information on rabbits and how to care for them.  Unfortunately our rabbits will not appear until Monday, but our youth learned a lot and had the opportunity to make more plans for their new animals when they come home.
Up next were our poultry competitors.  This year our laying hens are domincs, and very pretty bird that should produce large eggs by next year.  Our youth learned about feed, how to make sure to work at making their coops predator proof, and what to look for in the birds they bring back to the fair.  Each person received 8 biddies to take home, and they will bring their best two back to show at the fair in October.  For those raising broilers they will get their chickens at the end of July, beginning of August.
Speaking of showing.  We had some adorable goats showing off for us.  We have two youth that will be raising and showing goats at the fair.  These two goats have a homes with more love than any goat could imagine.  Both of them however will need a lot of love, work, and patience before they are ready to lead into the show ring in October.  If you would like more information on this program please contact Shea Ann DeJarnette at Shea_Ann_DeJarnette@ncsu.edu.

Our Virtual Reality

We virtually had a 4-H poultry show at the fair this year.  Virtually because well, we couldn’t have chickens physically there due to NCDA’s suspension of poultry shows across the state (trying to make sure the bird flu didn’t spread).  We had a chickens show complete with competitors, judges, ribbons, cameras, premiums, and a great big screen in the middle of the show ring.  Sounds a little odd doesn’t it?

Our 4-H members who raised laying hens this year got their birds before the suspension.  Thinking it would be a shame for them not to see the project thru to the end, which is showing them at the fair, our 4-H Agent hatched a plan.  We would have the first ever virtual poultry show in the state.  The concept was easy, each participant would shoot a video of them picking up and carrying their chicken, depending the on the age of the participant, they had to name different parts and the senior showmen had to state the best features of their birds and why.

During show time the videos were shown in the ring for everyone including the judge to see, then the competitors came up to the judging table to talk face to face with the judge. In the end our cloverbuds; Mica Lewis and Jackson Shooter both received a trophy and $10.  In the Junior division Brooke Canady took home the blue ribbon while Zan Nobles was neck and neck with her, took second.  In the senior division Benjamin Herndon took home blue while Destiny Lowry walked away with second.

A special thank you to our judge, Robby Mills who jumped in and took off with this twist on our traditional poultry show.  Also a special thank you to our parents who supported their children, helped shoot video, and did not bat an eye when plans changed and we had to be flexible with what we normally do.