Homemade Wine Contest

The Crawford County Fair will be hosting a Homemade Wine Contest at the 2011 Fair! The Contest will be held in the Whistle Stop Saloon at 6:00 pm on Thursday, July 21^st. The contest is open to amateur winemakers and will have four divisions—Grape Wines, Fruit Wines, Berry Wines and Other Wines. Each division will feature three classes- dry, sweet and semi-sweet.

All entries must be submitted in transparent bottles, free of any identification of wine maker. Wines must be two years old or less. Entrants must stay to check their entries in. Entrants must state whether entries should be judged chilled or at room temperature. Chilled entries must be chilled when they arrive. Entries should be at the Whistle Stop Saloon at 5:45 pm. The general public will be invited for wine tasting as soon as judging is completed. Entrants are welcome to stay during judging. The top three wines in each class will receive ribbons.  

The Whistle Stop Saloon will be serving your traditional beer selections along with a great selection of Wisconsin-brewed beers on tap! Commemorative glasses will be available for purchase and can be filled with selections of your favorite wines!

Buckets of Blooms Contest

The Buckets of Blooms Contest is back! This year’s theme is “Country Life~ Carnival Lights.”  This contest is being organized and offered by the Crawford County Master Gardeners in conjunction with the Crawford County Fair. Cash prizes of $20 for first, $10 for second and $5 for third place will be rewarded in each age division.

Rules for the contest are as follows:  

·         The contest is open to any 4-H club, FFA chapter, civic club, church group, family or other organization as well as any individual including garden club members and Master Gardeners. Any one under the age of 18 will be judged in the junior division, entrants over 18 will be judged in the adult division.

·         A $2.00 entry fee will be charged per Bucket entered. Entrants may enter up to 5 entries. Entries will be filled out when Buckets are delivered to the Fairgrounds.

·         Buckets must be brought to the grandstands at the Fairgrounds by noon on Thursday, July 21, 2011, and judging will take place at 2:00 pm. Buckets may not be removed until 4:00 pm on Sunday, July 24. Buckets may be brought to the fairgrounds from noon to 8:00 pm on Wednesday, July 20 or 8:00 am to noon on Thursday, July 21.

·         Buckets will be on display anywhere on the Crawford County Fairgrounds. They will be tended and watered by Master Gardeners.

·         Flowers, plants, grasses, herbs must all be real but may be grown or purchased.

·          Additional accessories such as flags, plant sticks, figurines, etc. are acceptable.

·         Judges will be considering best use of texture, color, originality, creativity and condition of materials.

·         Other Considerations:

o       Five gallon buckets, either metal or plastic, should be used.

o       A drainage hole should be put in the bucket.

o       Buckets may be decorated or left plain.

o       Buckets must be light enough to be moved easily.

o       Consider using styrofoam, packing peanuts or similar material in the bottom of the bucket to lessen the weight.

For more information, please contact Heather Moore at cctyfair@crawfordcountywi.org, or 608-326-0223 or Crawford County Master Gardener Donna Teynor.

Taste of Crawford County

What does Crawford County taste like? Answer this question and reach more Crawford County customers at the Third Annual Taste of Crawford County! Businesses and individuals are invited to participate in this event at the 2011 Crawford County Fair. The “Taste” has grown by leaps and bounds in the last two years and it will be a stand-alone event this year!

There is no cost to participate in the Taste of Crawford County and no admission is charged! Advance registration is required. Participants should plan on samples for 200 to 250 attendees. Each participant will have use of on 48” round table. Electricity will be provided, but participants may need to provide their own extension cord. Bathroom facilities are available but kitchen facilities are not. Plates, forks, napkins and drinks will be provided by the Fair. There will also be a limited selection of Wisconsin brewed beers available for purchase!

A People’s Choice Award will be awarded at the end of the night. Don’t miss this chance to increase your customer base and get your name out to even more Crawford County consumers! The deadline to register is July 12^th, 2011.  For more information, contact the Fair Coordinator at 608-326-0223 (Thursdays) or at  cctyfair@crawfordcountywi.org.

To enter the Taste of Crawford County! Click here! 

2011 Schedule of Events

2011 Crawford County Fair

Wednesday, July 20, 2010

4:00 pm                                  Superintendents Meeting

4:00 pm to 7:30 pm              All Entries Accepted and Younger Youth Face-to-Face Judging

6:00 pm                                  Taste of Crawford County                                       

Thursday, July 21, 2010

9:00 am to 1:00 pm              Dairy, Beef, Sheep, Swine and Goat Entries Accepted

10:00 am to 12:00 pm          Indoor Entries Accepted

11:00 am                                Red Rooster Show and Poultry Show                               

1:00 pm                                  Superintendents Meeting

1:30 pm                                  Hippity Hop Show and Rabbit Show                                              

2:00 pm                                  Indoor Exhibit Judging                                            

3:00 pm                                  Discover 4-H      

5:00 to 10:00 pm                   Wenzel’s Amusements- $15 Wristbands                                     

5:00 to 7:00 pm                     Friends of the Fair Bingo

5:00 pm                                  Porky Pig Pork Producer’s Show and Swine Show                     

6:00 pm                                  Homemade Wine Judging and Tasting

7:00 pm                                  Motokazie Motocross                                                          

                                               

Friday, July 22, 2010

9:00 a.m.                                Sheep and Goat Judging                                       

11:00 am                                Master Gardener’s Presentation:    Containers You Will Love   

11:30 a.m.                              Beef Show                                                    

1:00 pm to 10:00 pm            Wenzel’s Amusements Open!                               

1:00 pm to 5:00 pm              Wenzel’s Amusements- $1.00 rides                     

1:00 pm to 2:30 pm              Friends of the Fair Bingo                                                    

2:00 pm                                  Art Time

3:15 p.m.                                Small Animals Show                                       

3:45 pm                                  Buffers, Soil & Water Fun!  & Water Games

4:00 pm                                  Friends of the Fair Bingo

4:00 p.m.                                Dog Show                                                     

5:00 pm                                  Bingo

6:30 pm                                  Kid’s Science Time

7:00 pm                                  Hug-A-Hog Contest

9:00 pm                                  Pie City Twisters                                           

                                                           

Saturday, July 23, 2010

8:30 a.m.                                5K Fun Run/Walk and Kid’s Mile                           

8:30 a.m.                                Dairy Show                                                   

10:00 a.m.                              Master Gardener’s Presentation: Composting     

10:45 am                               Buffers, Soil & Water Fun!  & Science Time

11:30 am                                Bingo

12:30 pm                                Bake-Off: Cookie Creations                        

1:00 pm                                  Cake Walk                                                                            

1:00 pm to 10:00 pm            Wenzel’s Amusements Open!                               

1:00 pm to 5:00 pm              Wenzel’s Amusements- $15 Wristbands             

1:00 pm to 2:30 pm              Friends of the Fair Bingo                                        

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm             Land Conservation Stream Table                                     

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm             Family Resource Center Games                                                   

2:00 pm                                  Cake Walk

2:00 pm                                  Jessie Brown                                                            

2:45 pm                                  Buffers, Soil & Water Fun!  & Water Games

4:00-6:00 pm                         Pebble Pups 4-H Club Rock Show

4:00 pm                                  Pie City Ramblers

6:00 pm                                  Seneca Launchpad Bands: Fear No Fate and Backwards

7:30 pm                                  Demolition Derby                                         

10:00 pm                                Cardiac Radio

Sunday, July 24, 2010

*FREE GATE AND GRANDSTAND*

9:00 am                                  First Congregational Church Service                    

10:00 am                                Llama and Alpaca Show

10:30 am                                The DisChords                                                         

11:30 am                                Bake-Off: Cheesecake Concoctions                                 

12:00 pm                                Local Tractor Pull

12:00 pm                                Clothing Revue Style Show                        

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm            Land Conservation Stream Table             

12:00 pm to 4:00 pm            Wenzel’s Amusements- $15 Wristbands

12:45 pm                                Prairie du Chien Park and Rec Drama Presentation

1:00 pm                                  Bingo

2:00 pm                                  Cake Walk                                                    

1:00 pm                                  Kid’s Casting Contest                                  

1:00 pm                                  River Valley Pedal Tractor Pull

1:00 pm                                  Country Express                                          

2:30 pm                                  Art Project & Discover 4-H

Saturday, July 30, 2010

10:00 a.m.                              Horse Show                              

Online Entries Made Easy

There has been a lot of confusion about online entries. Like anything else, in its initial year, there are some bugs to be worked out.

First of all, WHY did we start online entries? Well- for a few reasons-- its more convenient for exhibitors, it saves money (no gas, no stamps!) and a big one is that it saves staff hours. Someone has to input all of that information into our Blue Ribbon program so that it can print exhibit tags, judges sheets, etc. Our staff member who typically does data entry is no longer working with us (and boy, do we miss her!) so it really expedites the processes if exhibitors enter online and we can download entries, rather than inputting them!

Secondly, WHERE do you go to enter online? This is the link to the Blue Ribbon Program. This is the company website that the Fair contracts with for our entry program. (Why do we contract with them? Its so much easier on our exhibitors, superintendents and staff-- and it helps get things done FAST!) https://www.BlueRibbonFair.com/BRFairProd/BlueRibbonStart.aspx?ID=1919

Next, HOW MUCH will it cost to enter online? The exact same. $3.00 per exhibitor. If you are an open class exhibitor with more than 25 entries, you are actually saving money to enter online. How do you pay? This is a recent (today) change. Rather than debit cards, you'll be able to print an invoice and you can pay when you pick up your entry tags (at the Extension Office or at the Fair). What about your parking pass? You'll be eligible for a $5.00 parking pass when you bring in your invoice.


And finally, the big one. HOW do I enter online?
First, go to the link provided above. You will have to create an account (each exhibitor will need a separate account, but can use the same e-mail address). Select "Create New Account" and fill out the information that is asked for.

If you are entering livestock, be sure to enter your "farm name" if you are not stalling your animals with a Club or Organization.

Be sure to read and accept the terms and conditions.

Now, from here there are two ways to enter. Select “Premium Book” and you can go through each department and “Add” each item.

If you select “Quick Entries” you can type in the Department number, Class letter and Item number and it will add the items that way. My recommendation would be to highlight your items in your fair book and just go through the book and enter information that way.

When you are finished entering, “Check Out” and be sure to read and accept the Fair Rules. You’ll notice the “Online Convenience Fee.” That is your $3.00 entry fee—the same fee that you would pay if you filled out paper forms.

Dairy Exhibitors: Dairy exhibitors must enter their animal identifications online by July 10th. The reason for this is that for the past many years, we have had over 700 dairy entries. Inputting all of that information caused a lot of wasted time for everyone—it was a waste for exhibitors to enter all of the classes, it was a waste for the staff to input all of that information and print tags and judging sheets and it was a waste for the superintendents to have to track down all of the “no shows.” No one is at fault for that—it just happens sometimes that a system doesn’t work, and we all adapt to it, but it just ends up costing precious time.

So what will dairy exhibitors do, especially if they don’t know what they will show? By June 15th, all dairy exhibitors need to do is sign up for Department 1 or 101, Class 1 and Item 1. That will get your name on the “list” (Like a livestock exhibitor signing up for “Market Steer,” its mostly a placeholder.) Sometime before July 10th, exhibitors will need to go in and enter exactly what animals they are taking. When you do your entry, a bunch of information will come up—sire, dam, animal’s name, tattoo number, etc. Fill this out to the best of your ability, as this will serve as your animal identification sheet as well.

What if you sign up Susie, your spring calf and she gets hurt the day before the show? Well, you can make substitutions for a $5.00 fee. You still won’t be able to add a winter calf that day, but we can substitute. What if you sign up Susie, the spring calf, and realize that she’s actually a winter calf? As long as she is signed up, you will be able to change classes.

What about at the fair? Well, it should make check-in easier, because you won’t have to go through a huge list for just a few animals. It will make it easier for superintendents to check you in, and it will be easier during judging—no one will have to wait for animals who aren’t there. Also, when you come to get your backtag number, you’ll be able to check over your sheet and sign it to be sure that all the correct animals are on it, then sign your name and get your sheet.


Online entries sound confusing and a little difficult, but it the end, it will work out for everyone’s benefit! Good Luck!