Our County Fairs

Every Community’s Soul

The week of a county fair is a whirlwind of fair foods, live bands, and crazy rides. While the week of summertime fun goes by fast, it takes a full year of planning and training. The result? Decades of memories for many generations of Hoosiers.

You might say we’re as American as apple pie. We’re a region full of generous, good-natured folks you can really count on. Our 4-H fairs are just one example of our Hoosier hospitality. 

The formative work of 4-H builds as you watch the summers and the years go by. Every year, pies are baked, taste-tasted, and ribboned; calves are raised into full-grown cows; and lasting memories are made.

These triumphs add layers of responsibility for and build confidence in children and teens across the region. The 4-H program started more than 100 years ago and has since grown into the largest youth-development program in the nation. These are the kids who turn into adults with agribusiness degrees, and who are dedicated to and love their communities, and who will lead the region into the future.

County fairs are about much more than fried foods and bull riding. They are also about taking on challenges that ask you to try and learn something new.

In the end, Northeast Indiana is raising more than livestock and doing more than just having a great time at the fair. 

Did You Know?

• The 4-H motto is “To Make the Best Better.” It means that members will do the best they possibly can and strive to improve the next time—making each personal best better. Incredibly, more than 7,200 4-Hers participate in our county fairs every year. Find out more about the terrific programs 4-H offers young people across the region by visiting the Indiana 4-H Youth Development website.
• In 2012, 67 of our summer days were filled with the 11 county fairs of Northeast Indiana. Each one is unique, with personality galore—and very much worth experiencing. You may even make your way to our famous State Fair.
• There are over 9,600 members in Indiana FFA programs, and Northeast Indiana is proud to be a hub for FFA, a national organization dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for leadership, growth, and career success through agriculture education.