4-H at the Blue Earth County Fair

The Blue Earth County Fair is held each year in July at the Blue Earth County Fairgrounds in Garden City. The fair provides 4-H members with a place to showcase exhibits about their project learning and share what they have learned with friends, judges, and community members. 

4-H members who earn blue ribbons at the Blue Earth County Fair (and have completed grade 6) may earn the opportunity to advance to the Minnesota State Fair. Similarly, members in the horse and dog projects are eligible to advance to the state horse and dog shows, which are held at the state fairgrounds later in September.

Blue Earth County Fair

Revisit this page on a later date to get information on the 2025 fair.

Register for the fair

You can log into Fair Entry with your 4-H Online email and password to register exhibits for the fair. 

• Please take some time to review the premium book and fair schedule.
• All families are expected to read the "Essential information for exhibitors" section and other information related to your exhibit entries.

Fair Entry help

If you need help entering your projects and/or animals, call the office: 507-304-4326 go get assistance. 

Cloverbuds

We love it when Cloverbuds come to the fair! We work hard to offer a rich learning experience for our youngest members at the fair. 

• Cloverbud information is found page 13 of the premium book, and can also be found in the Fair Entry. Even animals for Cloverbuds are now registered in the Cloverbud section of Fair Entry.
• Food stand shifts for Cloverbuds are optional. The food stand is a great way to get to know other 4-H families.

Registering animals in Fairentry

All animals coming to the fair must already be identified in 4HOnline (except Cloverbud animals, pets, and poultry). You must now register youth in Fair Entry for fair exhibit classes outlined in the premium book and attach animals to those entries.

• Animals are interchangeable between siblings.
• You may change the animals you attach to exhibit classes up until ID Check at the fair (see the schedule), but you must register now for all the classes in which you may want to show an animal.
• You can scratch classes at ID Check at the fair, but you cannot add them (without penalty). So be sure to register for all the classes in which you expect each child in your family to participate at the fair. For example, if you have one animal and are unsure which child will show it, register both children for the class and attach the same animal to each. When you make your final class selections at ID Check at the fair, you will scratch all but one entry.
• Only one member may show an animal at the fair, except Cloverbuds. Cloverbuds may show an animal ID’ed and registered (and shown) by an older sibling or 4-H member, they may also show their own animal. In Fair Entry, Cloverbuds simply register for the class and do not attach an animal to the entry.
• At your designated ID Check at the fair, exhibitors must declare which animals they will exhibit and their final class selections (meaning which classes they will scratch).
• Cloverbuds, Pets, and Poultry did not have to be identified in 4HOnline. In Fair Entry, you will register your child for the class, but you will not be required to attach an animal or enter animal ID information. However, you do need to follow the Board of Animal Health Guidelines for animals coming to their fair (see the animal ID webpage or check the premium book), such as proof of vaccination, ID tags, Health Statement, etc.