Try something new this year! Get yourself rooted in fun and enter a contest at the fair in 2026!
America 250 Seed Articulture Contest
Showcase your creativity and the greatness of our nation in the America 250 Seed Articulture Contest! Participants are invited to design original works of art using seeds as the primary medium, inspired by patriotic themes that honor the spirit, history, and beauty of the United States. Seed art mosaics are a form of Crop Art. Mosaics can include dried seeds and nuts in any form. The technique used in Seed Art is similar to pointillism or needlepoint. Visit our Agriculture Department to learn more and register.
King Arthur Flour Carrot Cupcake Contest
In keeping with this year’s fair theme of “Rooted in Fun,” create one of the most traditional root-based desserts with a little twist. Try your hand at a Carrot Cupcake! Youth and Adult Divisions. Visit our Home & Craft Department to learn more.
Patriotic Pumpkin Decorating Contest
Get ready to show your red, white, and blue spirit in our patriotic pumpkin decorating contest, celebrating 250 years of the United States! Transform ordinary pumpkins into stars-and-stripes masterpieces that honor our nation’s milestone birthday. Visit our Home & Craft Department to learn more.
Pro Kitchen Heritage Bread Contest
Bring your treasured family traditions to life in our Rooted in Tradition Bread Contest, where every loaf tells a story. We’re looking for recipes that have been passed down through generations—those secret family breads that carry memories, celebrations, and unique twists that make them unforgettable. Prepare your recipe, and if you can, bring a photo, heirloom ingredient, or anything that enhances the story behind your bread. Celebrate the flavors of your family’s history and share a slice of your legacy with the community!
Visit our Home & Craft Department to learn more.
Tasty Roots Appetizer Contest
This year’s fair theme is Rooted In Fun, so get ready to dig into your creativity with our Tasty Roots Appetizer Contest, celebrating the humble root vegetable like never before! We’re calling creative home cooks to transform carrots, beets, turnips, and more into bite-sized masterpieces that wow the taste buds. Bring your most inventive recipes. Let’s celebrate flavor, fun, and the roots that connect us all—one delicious appetizer at a time! Visit our Home & Craft Department to learn more.
These Old Roots Plant Contest…These Plants Tell a Story
“These Old Roots” celebrates plants that have been passed down through generations, friendships, or meaningful relationships. Each plant carries a story, and this contest honors both the plant’s care AND the history behind it. Visit our Flower Department to learn more and register.
Wild and Wonderful Roots Contest
In honor of this year’s fair theme “Rooted in Fun” get ready to dig up some laughs in our wacky roots contest! We’re celebrating the strangest, funniest, and most unusual roots nature has to offer — from twisted tree roots and oddly shaped root vegetables to bizarre garden surprises. Whether your root looks like an animal, a person, or something completely unexpected, we want to see the wild creativity hidden underground. Bring your craziest roots and enjoy a fun-filled showcase of nature’s weirdest wonders! Visit our Agriculture Department to learn more and register.