The Yazoo County office of Mississippi State University Extension and the Yazoo County Fair Association reserve the right to limit the number of exhibits in each category. There is a limited amount of space provided for each category; therefore, it may be necessary to group similar items.
•Dates for the 2021 Yazoo County Fair are Friday, October 15th, through Saturday, October 23rd.
•Adult and youth exhibit items will be accepted for entry at the Yazoo County Fair exhibit hall on Friday, October 15th, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. No entries will be accepted after 4 p.m. that day.
•Youth entering arts and crafts items must bring their entries to the fairgrounds on Friday, October 15th. No arts and crafts exhibit entries will be accepted at the Extension office. Poster Art Contest entries may be brought to the Extension office; the deadline for Poster Art Contest entries is no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, October 1st. Also, the deadline for local school art contest entries is October 1st, with these also being brought to the Extension office.
•Awards will be in three categories: Blue ribbons earn $3, red ribbons earn $2, and white ribbons earn $1. Exhibits will be judged on Monday, October 18th, and ribbons will be displayed that evening and throughout the remainder of the fair.
•All exhibits and contest entries must be picked up on Sunday, October 24th, between the hours of noon and 2:30 p.m. Exhibit tags will serve as claim tickets and must be presented before the exhibits can be released.
Plants: Amateur plant enthusiasts of any age may enter. No professionals please. Along with green potted plants, this booth will feature floral or dried arrangements, decorated wreaths, or any unusual plant or produce grown during the past year. Plants must be grown by the exhibitor, and be free of disease, insects, dead leaves, etc. Houseplants or outside plants may be exhibited. Judging will be based on health, appearance, and presentation.
Canned Foods: Canning will be placed in the canning area but will be separated for youth and adult entries. Produce must have been processed since the 2019 Yazoo County Fair. Exhibits that do not comply will be disqualified. Follow proper canning requirements as defined in “The Complete Guide to Home Canning”, Mississippi State University Extension Publication 1152; copies may be obtained at Yazoo County office of MSU Extension or online at msucares.com. Canned products must be in standard canning jars, sealed, with rings left on. Jars must be sealed and clean. Paraffin seals will not be accepted. Jars must be labeled with exhibitor name and name of product. Canned soup mix is not accepted since USDA does not recommend canning soups. Jars should be filled to the neck allowing one-quarter inch (1/4”) headspace for jams, jellies, and preserves; one-half inch (1/2”) headspace for pickles and fruit; and one- inch (1”) headspace for vegetables. Exceptions are tomatoes, with one-half inch (½”) headspace, and juices, with one-quarter inch (1/4”) headspace. Judging is based on selection of raw product, quality, and appearance.
Adult Arts & Crafts: Arts and crafts exhibits must be created by the exhibitor. Articles exhibited at previous Yazoo County Fairs are not eligible. Judging will be by comparison and on a competitive basis. Only crafts made as a hobby are eligible for exhibit; no professional craftsmen are allowed. Judging will be based on workmanship, originality, and appearance.
Youth Arts & Crafts Booth: The youth arts & crafts booth features handcrafted items created by youth ages 4 through 18, grades K-12. Entries may include but are not limited to: recipe books or boxes, seasonal decorations, jewelry, pottery, floral designs, clothing, tote bags, sewing boxes, recycled items made into art, woodworking, birdhouses, bird feeders, duck or squirrel boxes, decoys, tackle boxes, or other items personally created by the entrant. All entries must be original work, created after the 2019 fair. Seed identification collections or leaf collections will be entered as arts and crafts. Blue ribbons earn $3, red ribbons earn $2, and white ribbons receive $1. Exhibits will be judged on Monday, October 18th, and ribbons will be on display that evening and throughout the remainder of the fair.
For questions concerning contest guidelines or exhibit entries, please contact Phillip Vandevere, Jr. or Sheila Carter for information at 746-2453 or via e-mail at phillipvandevere@msstate.edu or sbc262@msstate.edu.
The Yazoo County Fair Association and/or the Yazoo County office of Mississippi State University Extension, their employees or representatives, will not be responsible for loss or damage to items exhibited at the 2021 Yazoo County Fair.
