SWAIN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL FAIR
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  • Home
  • About
  • Entertainment
    • 2025 Battle of the Bands Contest >
      • Equipment & Onstage Rules
      • Judging Criteria
    • 2024 Battle of the Bands Winners
  • Vendor Booths
    • Arts & Crafts Vendors >
      • 2025 Vendor Line-up
    • Educational Booths >
      • 2025 Line-up
    • Food Trucks / Food Vendors
  • Fair Entries
    • Youth Livestock Shows >
      • All Breeds Market Steer Show
      • All Breeds Beef Heifer Show
      • All Breeds Rabbit Show
      • All Breeds Poultry Show
      • All Breeds Market Lamb/Market Goat/Breeding Doe Shows
    • Youth Arts & Crafts
    • Youth & Adult Baked Goods & Preserved Foods
    • Youth & Adult Quilt Entries
    • Youth & Adult Farm Produce Entries >
      • Garden Vegetables, Fruit, Eggs & Flowers
      • Honey
  • Craft & Other Events
    • Spring Craft & More Fling
    • 2025 Gun Raffle
  • Contact
  • Swain County Cooperative Extension

Youth Arts & Crafts Entries

CALLING ALL YOUTH!  Unleash your creativity and show off your amazing arts and crafts from the past year! Whether it’s clothing, artwork, photography, or collections, we want to see what you’ve created. This is your chance to shine—your work will be proudly displayed, and ribbons will be awarded! Don’t miss out on this awesome opportunity to be recognized for your talent and passion.
Youth Clothing, Art, Crafts, Collections & Photography
  • Check-in: Monday & Tuesday, August 18 & 19 during office hours 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
  • Location: Swain County Cooperative Extension Center, 60 Almond School Road  (any entry received after these dates will not be judged)
  • Entry Pick-up: Monday, August 25, 2025 from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. ​​

Exhibitor Information
Division A:  Ages 5-8 ~ Non-Competitive
Division B:  Ages 9-13
Division C: Ages 14-18
Division D: Special Needs All Ages ~ Non-Competitive

Non-Competitive: Ages 5-8, entries will be based on quality of the exhibit rather than by the rules stated below. Youth ages 5-8 and Special Needs all ages will receive a purple ribbon.


Competitive: The youth competitive division is divided into two age groups for judging: 9-13 and 14-18. All exhibits must be the work of the youth and made within the last two years. Rosettes will be awarded in the 9-13 and 14-19 age groups ONLY. In addition, first, second and third place ribbons will be awarded. 

Procedure for Entry
All exhibits must be the work of the exhibitor and must have been created after the previous year’s County Fair. All entries must have (Name, Age, Division, Class, and Category). Youth may use this Tag. Be sure tag is secured on your item. If tag is not secured, item may not be judged or returned to you.

Classes & Categories
​​
CLASS 1 – CLOTHING
All entries must be brought with a hanger and labeled with the exhibitor’s name, age, and the below category number. Judging Criteria: 
40 points: General Appearance, 40 points: Color combination, cleanliness, originality, texture combination, pressing, workmanship, 20 points: Cut on grain, appropriateness and choice of seams, seam finishes, hem finish, appropriate choice and application of closures (buttons, zippers, snaps, hooks and eyes), design in relation to fashion and fabric selection. Total points: 100
  • 1001 – Dress
  • 1002 – Skirt
  • 1003 – Shirt
  • 1004 – Pants
  • 1005 – Sleepwear
  • 1006 – Apron
  • 1007 – Bag/Tote
  • 1008 – Doll Clothes
  • 1009 – Cloth accessories
  • 1010 – Other

CLASS 2 – ART
All entries must be original work of the artists. Items must be labeled with exhibitors name, age and the below category number. All art must be mounted ready to hang. No loose-leaf paper or coloring pages. No limitations on size for any art work. Any size will be accepted as long as it is mounted.
  • 2001 – Pen/Pencil
  • 2002 – Charcoal
  • 2003 – Crayon
  • 2004 – Watercolor
  • 2005 – Pastels
  • 2006 – Stained Glass
  • 2007 – Digital Creation
  • 2008 – Acrylic
  • 2009 – Oil
  • 2010 – Other

CLASS 3 – CRAFTS
All entries must be original work of the artists. Items must be labeled with exhibitor’s name, age, and the below category number.
  • 3001 – Basket
  • 3002 – Candle
  • 3003 – Ceramic
  • 3004 – Jewelry
  • 3005 – Leather
  • 3006 – Metal
  • 3007 – Models
  • 3008 – Natural Material
  • 3009 – Needlecraft
  • 3010 – Pottery
  • 3011 – Toy Making
  • 3012 – Tie Dye
  • 3013 – Weaving
  • 3014 – Woodworking
  • 3015 – Crochet/Knitting
  • 3016 – Quilting
  • 3017 – Shoe Box Parade
  • 3018 – Other

CLASS 4 – COLLECTIONS
All entries must be original work of the artists. Items must be labeled with exhibitor’s name, age, and the below category number.
  • 4001 – Leaf or Flower
  • 4002 – Seed
  • 4003 – Rock
  • 4004 – Entomology (bug)
  • 4005 – Other

CLASS 5 – PHOTOGRAPHY
All entries must be original work of the artists. Items must be labeled with exhibitor’s name, age, and the below category number. Presentation: All photos are to be matted, mounted or in a frame. Print size can be no smaller than 4×6.
Traditional Camera
  • 5000 – Black & White
  • 5001 – Landscape & Nature
  • 5002 – Portraits
  • 5003 – Animal
  • 5004 – Architecture
  • 5005 – Other
Digital Camera/Cell Phone
  • 5006 – Landscape & Nature
  • 5007 – Portraits
  • 5008 – Animal
  • 5009 – Architecture
  • 5010 – Other
  • 5011 – Black & White ​
2025 4-H Youth Arts & Crafts Entry Form

Additional Youth & Adult Categories
  • Honey
  • Garden Vegetables, Fruit, Eggs & Flowers
  • Baked Goods & Preserved Foods
  • Quilts​

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Amber Johnston, Extension Agent
​4-H Youth Development
​
[email protected]
(828) 488-3848

Mountain State Fair Entry & the Pony Express: 
The Pony Express pick-up date is after the Swain County Agricultural Fair. You have the option of entering your item(s) in both fairs!
  • Enter Online before August 22, 2025, and print the entry form. (non-perishable items only).
  • Bring your entries on August 18 & 19, 2025, between 9:00 AM 4:00 PM to the Swain County Extension Office (60 Almond School Road, Bryson City). You have the option to entry your non-perishable item(s) in both the Swain County Agricultural Fair and the Mountain State Fair.
  • Bring your non-perishable items to the Extension office, wrapped & packed securely for transport. 
Label your box with your name and county. Also include a completed entry form inside the box with your items.
  • Your entries will be picked up in your county from the Extension Office & transported to the Mountain State Fair for judging and display.
  • Only items picked up on the Pony Express route will be returned on Pony Express. No items will be added to the return list of items that are dropped off by the exhibitors at the fairgrounds after the Pony Express has run.
  • Items will be returned to your local Extension Office after the fair by September 26th, 2025.
  • Any prize money will be mailed directly to you. (Exhibitors who win $600 or more must provide a completed NC Substitute W-9 to receive payment.) 
This is a free service provided to you by the NC Mountain State Fair and the NC Cooperative Extension Service. For more information, call the NC Mountain State Fair at 828-687-1414 Extension 208.
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