Contest at the Stephens County Free Fair: Something for Everyone - compete for ribbons and prizes

The Stephens County Fair will be held Aug. 16-19 at Stephens County Fairgrounds in Duncan. Admission is free.  Open Class Exhibits are open to any Stephens County resident.  

Entries will be accepted on Wednesday, Aug. 16, between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. unless listed differently for a special contest. There will be Open class, 4-H and Oklahoma Home and Community Education, Educational displays and a variety of exhibits on everything from eggs, garden produce, honey, fine arts, photography, needlework, crafts, baked goods and house plants to mention a few.

Entry information and a listing of competitive classes are available in the 2023 Stephens County Free Fair book. Fair books are available at the Stephens County Extension Office, Duncan Public Library and Stephens County Fair & Expo Office located on the fairgrounds at 2002 S. 13th Street in Duncan. Download the fair book a complete schedule of events and entry details at http:stephenscountyfairandexpocenter.com.

Crochet a Chain Contest our newest contest will be Thursday August 17 at 6pm in the Heritage Room of the Fairgrounds Conference Center. Contestants must furnish own crochet needle size H. Thread will be provided. Contestants will have five minutes to crochet a chain. The longest chain wins! There are both youth & adult divisions, First place is awarded $16 followed by second place $14 and third place will receive $12. Contestants must arrive early to pre-enter. The contest begins at 6:05 p.m.

5th Annual Open Pedal Tractor Pull –one of our most popular contests is Saturday, Aug. 19 at 10:00am in the Livestock Arena. Pre-entries start at 9:30 a.m. and are open for youth ages 4-11years.

Artist of all ages share their talents by showcasing their paintings with classes for oil, acrylic and watercolor. Drawings with pen & ink as well as graphite pencil and pastel are exhibited as well. The Mixed Media class is open to works in charcoal, collage, string art, scissor art, etc.

Photography Contest

Photographers of all ages, backgrounds and experiences levels are invited to enter their best single images into the open completion. The photography contest has grown to be one of our most popular contests at the County Fair. Photos are judged on their artistic perspectives of composition and design. Check out all the classes to enter on pages 19-21 of the Open Class Fair Book. Entries are taken from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 16.

Do you or a family member make the best Salsa, Jam or Jelly? Bring your best home canned food entries to compete for blue ribbons in the Food Preservation Division. Details are found on page 29 of the fair book. Home canning is judged by standards in home food preservation. Canned goods are not opened.

Baked Goods provides opportunities to enter your favorite cookie, brownie, or candy to compete for ribbons and bragging rights!

Best of Wheat Bread Baking Contest

Nothing tastes better than fresh home baked bread! Bread Bakers bring your entries to the Heritage Room of the Stephens County Fairgrounds Conference Center between 4-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 16, 2023. Grand Champion and Reserve Champion receive an award from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission.

Both the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion qualify to enter the State Fair Best of Wheat Bread Contest. Judging for this event is closed and entrants can see their placing on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. when the exhibit hall open for viewing. Details of the Bread Contest are on pages 28 & 29 in the Open Class Fair Book.

Gotta Love Decorated Cupcakes! The Fair is excited to announce the “DECORATED CUPCAKE” contest at the Stephens County Fair. Entry consists of three decorated cupcakes on a plate and sealed in a Ziploc bag. Bakers bring your entries to the Heritage Room of the Stephens County Fairgrounds Conference Center between 4-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 16, 2023.

Cupcakes will be judged on taste and appearance. Judging for this event is closed and entrants can see their placing on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. when the exhibit hall opens for viewing.

Decorated Cakes Decorated cakes are judged on “Decoration Only” and will not be cut. Due to limited display space please do not bring large cakes preferred size is less than 12” x 12”x12”. Entry is listed under “BAKED GOODS” on page 24 of the Open Class Fair Book. Awards are available for both Youth and Adult entries. Bakers bring your entries to the Heritage Room of the Stephens County Fairgrounds Conference Center between 4-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 16. Judging for this event is closed and entrants can see their placing on Thursday at 1 p.m. when the exhibit hall open for viewing.

Don’t miss the Pie Show -“Best Pie and Best Pie Baker” are the most exciting titles awarded during the Stephens County Fair Pie Show. The homemade pie contest is held on Friday, August18th. Judging begins promptly at 3 .pm. Entries accepted between 2 - 3 p.m. on the stage of Territory Hall. Pies are judged on flavor, texture of crust and filling, and general appearance. Copy of each recipe is required for judging. See page 27 of the Open Class Fair Book for classes and more information. Bring a best pie to compete for the title of Best Pie Baker. Aprons are awarded to Best Pie and Best Pie Maker in both youth and adult divisions. The judging of the pie competition is open to the public and all are invited to watch and hear the judge’s comments.

There are many categories to enter and something for everyone to enjoy at the Stephens County Fair. For more information about the Stephens County Free Fair, contact the Extension office at 580-255-0510.

Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments Cooperating: The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer. 

Workshops to help know how to enter the fair

Fair entry workshops are available for individuals who have not entered before. We will share the step-by-step process and answer any questions you may have. Workshops are scheduled on Saturday, Aug. 5 at 2 p.m. or Tuesday in the Stephens County Fairgrounds Conference Center at 2002 S. 13th Street, Duncan.

To register for either of the workshops call the OSU Extension Office 580-255-0510. The OSU Extension Staff and Brenda Gandy-Jones, County Extension Director are available to answer your questions daily between 8:00am and 4:30pm.