For 76 years, the Atlantic County 4-H Fair has been a summertime staple. This year, the tradition continues with two days of contests, performances and family fun from Aug. 8 through 9.
The fair is also a chance to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of local 4-H students. This year’s event features a full lineup of activities, including fan favorites such as the pie- and watermelon-eating contests, live music, a car show, a chicken barbecue, free crafts, rides, and a baby parade followed by a “Teddy Bear Tea.”
Visitors can also catch the pet parade and performances by 4-H clubs such as the Twirlybirds baton twirlers, Clover Cloggers and Tae Kwon Do club. New this year are free games for children.
Atlantic County’s 4-H program dates back to around 1930. The county fair, officially launched in 1948, is the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year.
Joni Grunow, who has been volunteering with Atlantic County 4-H for 50 years and serves as a leader for the Twirlybirds club, was involved in 4-H when she was younger, alongside her mother. Her granddaughter has since become a co-leader for the Twirlybirds.
For Grunow, seeing kids thrive at the fair is the best part.
“My favorite part is when I see my girls up there. When they’re all up there, they all smile when they’re up there,” she said. “I just see them enjoying it, which is why I’m here doing what I’m doing. We do it for the kids.”
Nationally, 4-H is the largest youth development organization in the country, serving more than 6.5 million children. In New Jersey, it reaches more than 55,000 youth from cities, suburbs and rural areas alike, offering hands-on experiences that help kids from kindergarten through 13th (one year out of high school) build lifelong skills. Largely powered through the efforts of volunteers like Grunow, 4-H offers many children a positive outlet.
Despite the misconception that 4-H is just for farm kids, Atlantic County’s 4-H program includes clubs ranging from livestock to STEM and sewing.
“We used to have a button years ago that used to say, ‘4-H ain’t all cows and cooking,’ and it’s because, back in the day, that’s how it started with everybody having farms, and it was the girls were cooking and the boys were taking care of the animals. And it’s so much more, like baton twirling,” Grunow said. “We’re not just animals or canning.”
Today, the local clubs give back to the community through outreach efforts like Thanksgiving food drives, creating Christmas stockings for veterans, a Tae Kwon Do club kick-a-thon to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Twirlybirds’ goodie bags for local seniors.
Grunow said they try to remind the community that 4-H is active year-round, not just in August during the fair.
Jenny Schreiber of Estell Manor, whose children have been involved in 4-H over the years, said there’s a club for everyone. Her daughter, 29-year-old Sarahann, came back as a volunteer, and her son, 13-year-old Zachary, is involved with the Tae Kwon Do and poultry clubs.
“I would definitely tell other parents to get involved,” Jenny said. “There’s definitely a club for every child, from robotics to sharpshooters to chickens, rabbits, tractors, small engines.”
The Atlantic County 4-H program also provides kids with enriching experiences, such as trips for teens to Washington, D.C., to learn more about government and a chance to attend the National 4-H Congress.
As Sarahann explains, 4-H helps guide kids toward becoming productive members of society and keeps them active.
“They’re not sitting on their tablets or phone — they’re getting involved, working on a project and applying themselves to something, which is nice, and these are skills they will be able to use later in life, all the while feeling like they can actually do something for themselves,” said Sarahann.
Jenny said 4-H has given her kids valuable life skills, such as public speaking, which Sarahann agrees with.
“It definitely forced me out of my bubble and my little shell. And with a lot of those trips, I was able to meet 4-Hers from all over the country,” Sarahann said. “By coming out to the fair, you’re not only supporting the kids, you’re supporting your own community in a sense. You’re helping that next generation and saying to them that they are important and all their hard work is important in their own community and to keep doing what you’re doing.”
Grunow said attending the fair is one way to support Atlantic County 4-H, but spreading the word is just as important.
“Just basically passing the word around to let them know we’re here and we want more kids and we want more volunteers,” she said. “Our main focus now is just to get the word out there — when somebody sees that clover or hears the word ‘4-H,’ they know what we are.”
The Atlantic County 4-H Fair will take place Friday, Aug. 8, from 2-10 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 9, from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. at the Atlantic County 4-H Fairgrounds at 3210 Route 50 in Mays Landing. Admission is free, and parking is $5. For more information, visit ac4hfair.org.
Madison Russ is an award-winning journalist, copy editor and adjunct professor of communication based in Atlantic County. An Ocean City native, Madison is passionate about telling stories that matter to locals, often spotlighting nonprofits and exploring the area’s vibrant arts scene.
