Goats dressed in costumes, baton twirlers taking the stage, tractors rolling through the fairgrounds and the smell of homemade pulled pork drifting through the air can mean only one thing: the Atlantic County 4-H Fair is back.
The 77th annual fair will take place Friday, Aug. 7, and Saturday, Aug. 8, at the David C. Wood 4-H Center and Fairgrounds, located at 3210 Route 50 in Mays Landing. Admission is free, with parking available for $5. Fair hours are 2 to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.
This year’s theme celebrates America’s 250th anniversary, complete with patriotic decorations and a birthday cake design created for the fair’s annual yearbook.
Each year, young 4-H members submit designs for the yearbook cover. The winning artwork then inspires decorations throughout the fair, including an elaborate stage display that members of the organization’s youth council and their adult leaders have spent months designing and painting.
The fair serves as both a community celebration and an opportunity for young people to showcase the skills and projects they have developed over the past year.
“The main reason we like to have a fair, aside from letting the general public come in and see what we’re about, is to let our members showcase what they’ve been working on all year,” said Dana Wramage, Atlantic County 4-H program associate. “Each of the different areas is meant to bring attention to the kids who have been working all year.”
Those projects extend far beyond the barns.
Although 4-H is often associated with agriculture and livestock, Atlantic County clubs also explore robotics, entomology, environmental stewardship, healthy living, dance, baton twirling, martial arts and other performing arts.
The nationwide youth development organization is administered in New Jersey through Rutgers University, the state’s land-grant university. Atlantic County’s program is supported by a small professional staff and a large network of volunteers, including more than 60 officially enrolled volunteers and many others who contribute their time throughout the year.
“Our overarching goal is to help them become strong leaders who are confident speakers and can go out into the world feeling like they can take on big challenges and be excellent citizens who help others,” Wramage said.
Friday’s festivities will include a public car show, horse arena activities and a goat show featuring several lighthearted additions.
During the goat costume contest, participants will transform their animals into imaginative characters, while the friends-and-family showmanship class will allow experienced 4-H members to coach a relative or friend through the process of showing a goat.
Fairgoers can also try goat yoga, which will be offered to the public as a fundraiser for the fair association. Participation costs $20.
The fair’s opening ceremony is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Friday and will include an honor guard from the American Legion. Younger 4-H participants, known as Cloverbuds, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and the 4-H pledge, followed by a performance of the national anthem.
Live entertainment will continue throughout the fair, with demonstrations and performances by groups including the 4-H Taekwondo Club, Clover Cloggers and Twirly Birds baton twirlers.
Animal exhibits will feature horses, livestock, poultry, small animals and reptiles. Before entering the fairgrounds, animals must meet applicable state health requirements and receive required veterinary screenings.
Organizers rely on experienced club leaders to oversee the animals and help members learn responsible care and handling. Some leaders have decades of experience with horses and livestock, and one of the program’s livestock leaders is a veterinarian.
Saturday’s schedule will bring several crowd-favorite traditions, including a baby parade, pet parade and pie- and watermelon-eating contests. All three activities are open to the public, with registration available online or at the fair before lineup begins.
A tractor parade will travel through the grounds at approximately 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Later that afternoon, volunteers will serve the fair’s popular chicken barbecue beginning at 4 p.m. Meals cost $18 and include half a chicken prepared with a secret marinade, potato salad, watermelon and a drink. A limited number of tickets are expected to be available during the fair.
Saturday evening will also feature an awards ceremony recognizing the new 4-H Youth Ambassador, followed by a talent show filled with singing, dancing and other performances.
“The talent show is really fun,” Wramage said, noting that acts have even included ventriloquists in past years.
Families looking for classic carnival fun will find swings, a large slide, a small dragon-themed roller coaster, a children’s train and a tunnel-style obstacle maze.
Rides will operate from 2 to 10 p.m. Friday and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday. Wristband specials will be available from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Food is also an important part of the experience — and one of the fair’s largest fundraising tools.
The youth council will operate a pizza booth, with proceeds helping older 4-H members attend leadership trips, camps and citizenship programs.
The main food booth will serve hot dogs, Italian sausage, cheesesteaks, pulled pork and other dishes. The pulled pork is smoked by a volunteer and prepared especially for the fair.
Visitors can also satisfy their sweet tooth with funnel cake, cupcakes, ice cream and colorful drinks from vendors throughout the grounds.
The money raised helps support the nonprofit Atlantic County 4-H Fair Association, which owns and maintains the fairgrounds. Funds help cover maintenance, insurance, utilities and improvements to the property so 4-H clubs and other community organizations have a place to meet.
Although the public sees two days of festivities, almost one hundred volunteers begin preparing for the next fair almost as soon as the previous one ends.
After cleanup, organizers hold a post-fair evaluation meeting in September and begin discussing ideas and improvements for the following year.
Each project area contributes to the planning. Livestock members help manage upgrades to the livestock and poultry barns, horse clubs work on the horse facilities, and youth council members decorate the stage.
Atlantic County welcomed three new horse clubs this year, whose leaders and members have already made significant improvements to the horse barn area.
In the days before the fair, 4-H staff temporarily relocate from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension office to the fairgrounds so they are available to members and volunteers as animals, exhibits, decorations and equipment arrive.
For the young participants, however, all of that work leads to a chance to proudly share their accomplishments with the community.
Whether they spent the year raising an animal, practicing a dance routine, studying insects, building a robot or learning to speak confidently in front of a crowd, the fair gives each member a moment to shine.
The Atlantic County 4-H Fair will be held from 2 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at 3210 Route 50 in Mays Landing. Admission is free and parking costs $5. Visit ac4hfair.org for activity registrations, barbecue tickets and additional information.
Sarah Fertsch of Egg Harbor Township holds a Bachelors of Arts in Public Relations. She is a locally renowned poet, storyteller, and dog lover.
