There weren't as many animals as I remember from the past. Even though we are in a rural community I think there are other things the kids are doing. It's a lot of work and economically the auctions may not be bringing in enough money to make it worth their while.
I tried to do my part and enter a few quilts as did a few of my friends. I think mine was the only hand quilted large size quilt entered. They didn't have a mixed category, so it was entered under applique. Their entry book needs a little help.
Do you enter anything in your local fair?
Hi, Lori, sad that participation is dropping off. We don't want to lose our rural roots!
ReplyDeleteNice that it was free. Enjoyed seeing your quilts hanging there, too! We rarely go to the Texas State Fair, which is held near us at the end of September. It is usually still real hot then. There are some fantastic shows at it, though. We'll be out of town during it this year. We leave on Sunday!
ReplyDeleteGood for you for supporting the local fair. And doesn't that ribbon look nice hanging on Cheddar and Crackers!
ReplyDeleteI love the fair and how smart to make it free!
ReplyDeleteI love supporting the local County Fair..in fact I was asked to be a judge this year (for the kid's section...not sure of what category but I can't wait!..I hope they give me tons of ribbons to pass out...:)
ReplyDeleteYes, I enter quilts and sometimes plants/flowers if I have had a good gardening year. Our County Fair seems to be growing...they just built a huge new building complete with new barns and they bring in a Carnival for the kids. Great fun for the whole family! Your quilt looks amazing!!
Paulette
I am entered in the Polk county (Oregon) fair which opens on Thursday in both the textiles and craft division. Helped with check in on Monday and seems like entries are up from last year-that's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteOur county fair has always been free and the attendance is always big--especially if you go on rodeo nights. For several years I have helped check in entries in the home arts department. When I first started they were going through a slump on entries and they were encouraging everyone to bring in anything they could. However, entries have been up for several years now and they actually have had to put restrictions on entries or there wouldn't be room to display everything. I spent 5 hours Monday mostly helping to check in quilts. There were over 50 brought in--mostly full size--and they still had Tuesday morning to enter more. All of the quilts go in glass cases around the perimeter of the building, so they limit it to "no tied or rag quilts" or there wouldn't be room to house them all. I have entered baked goods and/or my soap and an occasional sewn item every year for about 15 years--until this year. I didn't enter a thing. Too busy. My Mom enters quilts every year, but my standing rule is not to ever enter a quilt. I don't make my quilts up to judging standards--I've seen the judging and even though this is a little county fair, the judges can get quite meticulous in their attention to detail. : )
ReplyDeleteHope to go to our first Idaho fair this year. I hope to see some wonderful quilts there and I love looking at the animals. Hopefully they still have animals.... I wish you would send some cooler weather our way, I will be happy to send this hot weather east!
ReplyDeleteWe have a great fair in Lynden, it's the NW Washington fair and it is well attended. This is the first year I've not entered anything. I only have 2 finishes and I sent both to Hood River. There are lots of issues with the needlework section, catagories are very strange, I look at what has a ribbon and what doesn't and shake my head. One year a quilt won best of show, but funny, it didn't win it's catagory? When I questioned that, I was told "the judges like to spread out the ribbons"!
ReplyDeleteNot yet...but I will the first weekend in September!
ReplyDeleteAs a 4-H gal growing up on a farm, our county fair was a highlight of each year. I didn't care that much about my girls' 4-H projects. My focus was my Angus calves and the competition in the show ring. Great fun and great memories.
ReplyDeleteBut as an adult and living in a city now, my dedication to the local fair has dwindled. Our kids enjoyed it, but they're grown and gone, and I just didn't care any more.
My quilting has re-energized my interest in our fair -- the textiles, quilts, antiques, vegetables, etc. I'm hoping to enter quilts some day, but not yet. My hand quilting and machine quilting are both pretty amateurish and I don't have a single quilt that I'd consider entering. They're certainly not entry-worthy. Hopefully I'll improve.
Our local county fair (in North Iowa) has been "free" for years, but it's gone through some serious problems over the last few years and has been in danger of totally folding. Poor management, apathy, questionable "entertainment," competing events the same weekend--hopefully our fair will work past these challenges.
Lovely post! Country fairs are full of grand memories and I hate to think kids today won't enjoy them as much as we have/do! So glad you supported them well with your quilts! Thank you for a charming blog!
ReplyDeleteOur fair admission has gone up and up, but they offer many discounted days and sell ride tickets for a discount before the fair opens, as well as a "ride wristband" feature for certain hours. It's still a pretty inexpensive family outing, considering you can park for free downtown or take a free shuttle from numerous locations.
ReplyDeleteYour quilts look great there! I did enter four smaller quilts and won three firsts and one third award. Entries have fallen off over the years but have been coming back upward slowly. Next year I plan to volunteer at the fair in the Home Arts department. Our 4H clubs seem to be very active and there didn't seem to be any empty pens that I could see. It's a very popular activity all over the County as we have many ranches and farms here too. Each year the Market animals draw big bids!
what fun! your quilts looks great and I want to take that lamb home!
ReplyDeleteLocal craft fairs are so fun!
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing my folded up quilt (when I went to pick it up after the fair) dragged across a dusty dirty table and they were moving quilts down the line to return to their rightful owners and getting it back with the smudges of dust and dirt (all quilts were hung in open barn like structures) I have shied away from entering in that type of exhibit.
ReplyDeleteI have never been to a county fair...you inspire me to go to one!...I need to support tradition
ReplyDeleteIs that cow real? Or was that some kind of paper maché creation?? :-)
ReplyDeleteLove seeing your quilts hanging in the fair. Seems perfect!
The economy doesn't help the kids and their 4-H and FFA projects. I'm sure everyone enjoyed your quilts, looks like you could give them a hand in their categories. :)
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the quilts and handicrafts at the fair more than the animals. My DH and Kids would always go for the Animal Barns. Last year I boycotted entering anything. I got my entry in on time because of someone posting the question like you did. I went to see the Quilts on the one FREE day and there weren't very many. We'll see how many they get this year. Free is good when that's all you go to see. No rides for me- I get dizzy!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to the local county fair in years. My mom said that I should enter one of my quilts, but I don't want to spend the $25 to have it entered. I'd rather spend the money on fabric. Maybe I'll try and visit the county fair in the next county this year. I always liked theirs better, more entries in the quilt exhibit. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletecindy
Cindy, I can't believe a small county fair would charge anybody to enter their quilts or other goods! We would have zero entries if we did that! lol
DeleteNot many people live in our county, ~5000? It's sad to see how few of any entries there are of any thing. I'm going to enter a variety of things from canned goods to hand crafts, hopefully it will encourage others!
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