Iowa County Fair seeks exhibits

MARENGO — The Iowa County Fair is looking for open class exhibits for this year’s fair.

The annual Iowa County Fair is scheduled for July 16-20 at the fairgrounds in Marengo. Exhibits entered by 4-H and FFA members showcase the project work of those youth of Iowa County. Livestock exhibits fill the barns and static exhibits line the shelves and tables in Zentmire Hall during the fair.

But there is also an opportunity for others in Iowa County and surrounding counties to exhibit their talents and creations in the open class departments during the fair.

The Open Class Committee is seeking people of all ages to enter items in any and all of the 12 Departments listed in the 2025 Open Class Fairbook that can be found at the fair website, theiowacountyfair.org. Click the 2025 Open Class Fairbook in the Documents tab to see the information, dates, times and rules covering all 12 Departments.

Now is the time to think of what to enter and how easy the process is to enter items, said the Open Class Committee in a press release.

Be sure to check out all 12 departments. Exhibitors can enter many items at the fair.

The Committee hopes to interest exhibitors in three specific departments in hopes of creating more interest in exhibiting at the fair.

One highlighted area is the hobbies department, a collection of three or more small items such as marbles, pens, pencils, buttons or other collected items.

The second interesting area is the heritage department, said the Committee. Articles made by an ancestor may be entered. Other possible exhibits include tools, clothing, quilts, small pieces of furniture, toys, dolls or game boards made by your ancestor and accompanied by a very brief written statement about the ancestor, the item and the relationship to the exhibitor.

The third highlighted department is the Children’s Class for children 12 and younger. This department is limited only to their imaginations, said the Committee. Entries range from arts and crafts, photography, hobbies, flowers and garden items and products of the kitchen.

Children 13 and older will exhibit in adult departments.

Entries will be taken at Zentmire Hall on the fairgrounds Monday evening, July 14 and Tuesday morning, July 15. Entry fee is $1.00 per item. Those fees will be used for cash awards.

Following the judging of the exhibits Tuesday afternoon July 15, ribbons will be given to all entries.

Some items in each department will be chosen to receive Award of Excellence ribbons and cash prizes. One Best of Show is chosen from each department and awarded a large Iowa County Fair rosette ribbon and cash.

There is also a drawing from exhibitors’ names for donated gift cards, merchandise and prize money.

On opening day of the fair, Wednesday July 16, Zentmire Hall will be open starting at 4 p.m. so everyone can see how their entries placed during the judging. The Zentmire is open each remaining day of the fair.

Check out the Open Class information on the fair website. Call 641-777-6174 with questions.