4-H at the Deerfield Fair 2024

The 2024 Deerfield Fair is Thursday, September 26th through Sunday, September 29th. At Deerfield Fair, our 4-H youth and Volunteer leaders get to showcase their hard work from the year. Exhibits in the 4-H Building, livestock barns, and show rings emphasize the practical life skills gained through a broad variety of 4-H projects and activities.

Volunteer in the 4-H Exhibit Building

The 4-H Exhibit Building is now signing up Volunteers for shifts. Click on the blue Sign-up button on the right.

Volunteers are needed for set-up days to judge projects as they come in and place ribbons. Saturday Sept 14 (11am-4pm), Monday Sept 16 (3pm-7pm) and Tuesday Sept 17 (3pm-7pm). Judges will follow a scorecard to judge youth projects and ask any youth who are present setting up their display questions about their creative process (questions provided). Judges or volunteers will attach Ribbons to their projects. Any person who volunteers for a shift will earn a free ticket to the fair for every shift they judge at. This role is for adults only. Teen judges considered upon request and must be approved by the Program Manager prior to arrival.

The 4-H Building is open when the Fair is open daily 8am-10pm. Volunteer Shifts are 3 hours each. We ask that you arrive at least 15 minutes before your shift to accommodate traffic and parking delays. Choose a day and shift that works for you in the scheduler below. Volunteer a shift in the building and get a ticket to the fair for free entry. For every shift you work, you will get 1 ticket. If you work back-to-back shifts on Thursday, you will receive 2 tickets to be used at any day of the fair. This is for anyone you bring in your party as well. Duties: Give a warm 4-H greeting to fair goers who walk in. Talk about 4-H and pass out 4-H information to those who express interest. Monitor displays to make sure they stay in good condition. Process merchandise sales. Keeping the building tidy. Closers lock up the building (building will likely be open for the Opener). Roles:  Opener – Arrive at the fair when it’s slow, volunteer at the building for your shift, then have your day at the fair. Arrive at 8 am. Midday – Game the traffic as best you can, volunteer your shift in the building, and enjoy the fair on either side. Shift-dependent. Closer – Come when it’s slow, or enjoy your day at the fair, and close the 4-H Building when the fair closes. Can begin closing down the building around 9:30pm, out at 10pm

Volunteering in the 4-H Building is a breeze! Like all things 4-H, this is best done with friends and family. Club Leaders, this is great to do with families in your program. Teens, this is great to do with your friends. Parents, this is great to do with your children or friends.

CLICK HERE to sign-up

Building Exhibits: Add entries into FairEntry by August 15th (exception granted by permission from 4-H office). Exhibits in the 4-H Building at Deerfield Fair include individual and club/program displays on cooking, rocketry, shooting sports, gardening, sewing and textiles, GPS navigation, communications skills, wind power, hiking and environmental stewardship, service learning, and much more!

Animal Exhibits: Add entries into FairEntry by September 1st. Many 4-H members work on projects related to agriculture and animal husbandry. 4-H members from across New Hampshire show their animals and practice their skills, not only as they pursue ribbons and fair premiums, but also as they work to educate other fairgoers about responsible agricultural practices.

4-H Fence Talks represent a unique opportunity for 4-H'ers to hone communication skills while educating the public about their favorite 4-H project or animal. Think TED Talks but by 4-H Youth. There are a couple different Fence Talk formats youth may take that resemble 4-H Presents Day. • Demonstrations are simply showing & telling the process of how to do something. You explain what you are doing while you work on something you like to do. Example: How to transplant a house plant. Illustrated Talks are like Demonstrations but instead of working on something while you talk, you just talk and use a variety of visual aids to help you. Example: Explaining horse breeds and colors using horse models. Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks last 3-10 minutes. Allow time for questions from the public. • Public Speaking is a chance to research, organize facts, and present a speech on an issue or topic of interest. Speeches can be 2-10 minutes. Allow time for questions from the public. 4-H Fence Talks will be scheduled for a specific time and day of the fair. Contact the 4-H office with 2 time preferences after you register in Fair Entry. They will be held at the 4-H Building. 4-H Fence Talks using a live animal will be eligible upon request. Sign up through FairEntry, 4-H Project Building Exhibits, Division 130.

CAMPING at Deerfield Fair is reserved through the Fair. Form can be found HERE. Other Fair details can be found on their website, https://deerfieldfair.com/)

4-H Animal Exhibitors

4-H Animal Shows (subject to change)

• Working Steer Show - Saturday, 9:00 am
• Dairy Goat Show - Saturday, 9:00 am
• Dairy Cattle Show - Saturday, 9:30 am
• Sheep Show - Saturday 12:00 pm & Sunday 9:00 am
• Rabbit and Cavy Show - Saturday 1:00 pm
• Dog Show - Sunday, 8:30 am
• Beef Cattle Show - Sunday, 9:30 am
• Swine Show - Sunday, 10:00 am

The 2024 4-H Animal Premium book provides a list of guidelines and classes for each animal show:

Download 4-H Animal Premium Book

Deadline to enter animals : September 1 ,2024 (no exceptions)

 4-H Animal Project Forms, Fact Sheets, and Resources

4-H Building Exhibitors

Deadline extended to enter projects in the 4-H Building: August 15, 2024. Note this deadline is to enter your projects through FairEntry. This is not the deadline to have the projects completed.

Download 4-H Building Premium Book

After August 8th all project entries are to be turned into the Club Leader for judging. The Club Leader will set a drop-off schedule and make arrangement to add entry tags, judging, and grouping for Fair set-up. 4-Hers enrolled as Independent Members can drop their items off at the 4-H Office in Brentwood between August 8 and September 13. Exception are baked goods which can be dropped off at the 4-H office on 9/23 or the fairgrounds building on 9/24.

Contact us with any questions about guidelines or class selections. 

How to Enter

All entries for 4-H building exhibits must be completed through FairEntry at http://deerfieldfair.fairentry.com/.

Submit Entries via FairEntry

Download FairEntry help sheet or watch the video at  https://vimeo.com/209918998

Deadline to enter: August 8 for building exhibits and September 1st for animals (no exceptions)

King Arthur Flour Baking Contests

This year King Arthur Flour recipe for Youth and Adult entries will be Zucchini Brownies (click here for recipe) Prizes are provided by King Arthur Baking Company.

How to Enter: Youth sign up in FairEntry for 4-H Building Project Exhibits, Division 110. Choose Class 11008. Adults contact 4-H office for entry instructions (Class 11009).

Scarecrow Competition

Clubs and families may enter a scarecrow for the Scarecrow Competition. Scarecrows must be a minimum of two feet tall and not be more than six feet tall. Scarecrow should be decorated and have at least one prominent 4-H Clover. Register through FairEntry, Division 118, Class 11803, Large Decorated Scarecrow. One entry per club or family.