Animals, Robotics, Food—This Plus More at 4-H Fair

Thousands of visitors, hundreds of projects presented and an entire county invited as the Somerset County 4-H holds its 63rd annual fair Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at .

The fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on all three days.

“We usually estimate there are about 60,000 people, but we can’t be 100 percent sure because it’s free,” said Barbara Navatto, 4-H program coordinator. “We have activities all day long for the public to participate in no matter what tent you go to.”

And in addition to the people visiting the fair, there will be about 1,500 kids showing off the work they have done with the 4-H.

“They will be showing of their year’s worth of work,” she said. “There will be new projects like the robotics, but some of the older more traditional groups will be showing work, like cooking.”

“We are so happy to have a vast variety of projects to offer the kids,” she added. “And they can choose to show off any project they want, and they are still learning leadership skills in any project.”

Featuring the accomplishments of the 4-H members, the fair will be a showcase for 4-H projects, according to a release on the 4-H website.

According to the release, there will be dog, horse and livestock shows, as well as twirling, go karts, rockets, magic, line dancing, model airplanes, model trains and performances from several 4-H clubs, among other events.

Navatto said the dog tents have grown more popular as more people have been joining the 4-H’s dog clubs themselves.

“There will be another tent for them this year and an extended schedule of dog shows,” she said.

And aside from that, the release said, there will be 4-H tents housing different animals, including dairy cows, alpaca, horses, dogs, sheep, goats, rabbits and small animals—and all of those will have a petting area.

“The animals are a major draw, and every animal tent has a petting area or place for the public to see the animals up close,” Navatto said. “Some of our kids don’t actually own the animals, but there are farmers who lend them, and we are grateful to the farmers for keeping that going.”

Navatto said the 4-H’s robotics club has also grown, so that organization will be allowed more space to set up. Plus, she said, there will be games and activities, and a preparatory tent for kindergarteners through third graders for craft activities, games and entertainment.

“It’s age appropriate, with amateur and professional entertainment from the 4-H and outside groups,” she said.

According to the release, about 20 non-profit organizations will be offering snacks for fair-goers, and there will be booths run by other groups, including Somerset County Government, Raritan Valley Community College, Veterans Services, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Somerset Count Library and others.

Some of the food, Navatto said, is prepared by the 4-Hers themselves, but both the 4-H and non-profit organizations use the food sales as fundraisers.

“And the people are volunteering their time and efforts to provide exciting meals and snacks,” she said.

The Somerset County Board of Agriculture will be presenting farm equipment, the release said, and local farmers will provide free hayrides.

The event is entirely free to get in. Shuttle buses will be running from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., traveling to and from Raritan Valley Community College on Route 28 in North Branch.

Navatto said the students can choose whether they want to participate in the fair, but most do, and people are drawn to that aspect.

“People come from all over the county and even out of state,” she said. “People like that we don’t have a midway or carnival, so families like to come to see the animals, play in the tents and participate in activities without having to spend extra money.”

Click here for a schedule of events at the fair.