Entry dates for this year’s San Diego County Fair’s competitive exhibits have opened or will open soon.
According to Nicola Martinez, exhibits supervisor with the fair, approximately 80,000 entries are received each year, and that number does not include participants for their youth field trip programs.
Some of the new changes to competitive exhibits are:
“We’ve changed the name of our best of K-6th grade department to best of preK to 6th grade, to include pre-schools,” said Martinez via email. “There is no fee to enter best of preK to 6th grade. Last year it was $15 per class, up to 35 students per entry, and we have eliminated that fee to help get more schools to participate as our initiative for 2019 is to focus on our youth programs.”
The ribbons, awards, and cash remain a draw for entrants as well.
“It’s pretty incredible how amazing our awards and donated awards are,” she said, “For example the exhibition of photography offers more than $25,000 in cash awards and ribbons alone!”
“We are enhancing our senior program “Planting with Pride ”, said Martinez.
New classes in the divisions such as sewing, quilting, and candy have been added.
The Student Showcase New Media has been renamed Web Design and Development with new divisions such as theatrical/costume/fair theme fashion design, maker labs, and energy/power sources group project.
Additionally Martinez pointed out that yearbook entries only have to have one copy provided to enter.
Kathleen Downs won six ribbons in the preserved foods category in 2018. All winners from Alpine can be viewed on the fair’s website.
President of the Japatul 4-H Club, 14-year-old William James did supremely well last year.
“He has shown large livestock since he was 9,” said Danica James of her son. “William won 2018 Supreme Champion Market Hog (swine/pig) at last year’s fair with his 7-month-old, 265 lb. pig, Baby Pig. “This is the first time he’s won at the San Diego County Fair.”
Baby Pig is a black and white Hampshire that William started caring for at 4-month-of-age. They purchased Baby Pig from Ottenwalter Showpigs in Colusa County, California.
“She was the best pig out of about 150,” said William, an 8th grader at Joan MacQueen Middle School.
“We had run out of names, so we went with Baby Pig. Some name their pig Bacon.”
“I plan on breeding her and showing the pigs,” he said. “Or sell them to people.”
Entry dates and delivery dates can vary to compete in this year’s fair. Visit: http:// sdfair.com to keep up on dates, rules, categories, fees, and delivery dates.
The fair opens May 31.