Georgia National Fair sign with red and white striped background, framed by yellow lights, featuring circus tents and a pointing arrow.

By Maria M. Lameiras
Photos by Josie Smith and Matt Odom

Red clock tower with white clock faces showing time, supported by metal beams, against a blue sky with scattered clouds.

By Maria M. Lameiras
Photos by Josie Smith and Matt Odom

The red and gray clocktower at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry, Georgia, against a blue sky.

Beyond the Midway

At the Georgia National Fair, 4-H youth and UGA Extension mentors find fair ground for real growth.

Past the lines for funnel cakes and thrill rides, a deeper kind of work unfolds in the barns, rings and exhibit halls of the Georgia National Fair. For Georgia’s 4-H youth and their UGA Extension mentors, the fair is a proving ground for skills that go far beyond agriculture.

Illustration of three red and yellow striped circus tents with small red flags on top.

By Maria M. Lameiras // Photos by Josie Smith and Matt Odom

Colorful fairground midway at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Ga., with a Ferris wheel, carousel, food stalls and game booths reflected in a calm body of water under a clear blue sky.
Fair goers visit the exhibit hall at the Georgia National Fair crowded with colorful booths and handmade quilts hanging from the ceiling and walls.

When the season slips from late-summer heat into the cooler evenings of fall, communities from small towns to major metropolitan areas around the United States prepare for an annual rite of passage — the fair.

Whether attracted by the whirling lights of midway rides, the anticipation of indulgent treats or dreams of glory in the livestock ring, thousands of Georgians cherish the annual tradition of attending or competing at the Georgia National Fair in Perry each October.

A 4-H student in jeans and a plaid shirt leans against a doorway holding the reins of a white and brown goat, waiting for his turn to show his goat at the Georgia National Fair.

(Photo by Josie Smith)

(Photo by Josie Smith)

When the season slips from late-summer heat into the cooler evenings of fall, communities from small towns to major metropolitan areas around the United States prepare for an annual rite of passage — the fair.

Whether attracted by the whirling lights of midway rides, the anticipation of indulgent treats or dreams of glory in the livestock ring, thousands of Georgians cherish the annual tradition of attending or competing at the Georgia National Fair in Perry each October.

(Photo by Josie Smith)

(Photo by Josie Smith)

Clustered cheek by jowl in the common areas surrounding the livestock barns, scores of families set up shop under pavilion tents to prepare for livestock shows. Beneath the canopies, grooming stands hold goats for last-minute primping. Neatly dressed Georgia 4-H and FFA students wear serious faces as they coax their animals through the crowds on their way to back-to-back competitions that run from early morning to late evening on show days.

In addition to family support, these students are guided by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents from all areas — 4-H Youth Development, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Family and Consumer Sciences. These dedicated experts spend countless hours each year helping students plan and create exhibits, practice animal care and showing, and prepare for a variety of contests, from computer graphic design and public speaking to cooking and art.

Two young women in pink t-shirts and jeans talk to a man in a red shirt in a show ring at the Georgia National Fair.

District 4-H officers (from left) Madison Price and Addison Cagle assist with award presentation and chat with CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place during a swine show at the Georgia National Fair. (Photo by Josie Smith)

District 4-H officers (from left) Madison Price and Addison Cagle assist with award presentation and chat with CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place during a swine show at the Georgia National Fair. (Photo by Josie Smith)

Fair participants lead cows between the cattle stalls and the show ring at the Georgia National Fair.
Senior 4-H'ers participate in goat showmanship.
Master showmanship award belt buckle emblazoned with the 4-H clover and Georgia Master Showman Market Goat 2024.
A woman in a green anad white shirt kneels displaying the belt buckle award for Goat Master Showmanship to a yound womand in a black button up shirt and jeans with her hand on the winning goat, which wears a medal around its neck.

4-H Animal Science Specialist Carole Knight (left) presents the Goat Master Showmanship Award to Franklin County Senior 4-H'er Layla Smith. (Photo by Josie Smith)

4-H Animal Science Specialist Carole Knight (left) presents the Goat Master Showmanship Award to Franklin County Senior 4-H'er Layla Smith. (Photo by Josie Smith)

Anna Bentley smiles in a pink Georgia polo, leaning on a fence in a barn with dairy cows and a recycling banner.

"This is my favorite part of the year."

CAES agricultural and environmental science communication major Mary Anna Bentley volunteered with the Georgia Mobile Dairy Classroom at the fair. "People don’t know the importance of agriculture to the food they eat, the clothes they wear, even the pencils they write with. I want to be an advocate and educate people about our industry,” said Bentley, who is a CAES Ambassador on the Athens campus.

A 4-H student gives her cow a kiss on the forehead before showing.
Group of five women standing in a livestock show arena at a fairground, posing for a photo. Four women wear matching red polo shirts with embroidered logos and blue jeans, while the woman in the center wears a gray polo shirt and jeans.

CAES Associate Professor Jillian Bohlen (center) and UGA Dairy Science Club members (from left) Courtney Martin, Natalie Newton, Kayleigh Smith and Sophie Du Pont volunteer during dairy shows at the 2024 Georgia National Fair.

CAES Associate Professor Jillian Bohlen (center) and UGA Dairy Science Club members (from left) Courtney Martin, Natalie Newton, Kayleigh Smith and Sophie Du Pont volunteer during dairy shows at the 2024 Georgia National Fair.

CAES at the Fair

Faculty and students from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences often volunteer at the fair to assist with competitions or serve as contest judges. CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place spent a day at the 2024 fair visiting county teams, congratulating show winners and encouraging students to follow their dreams to CAES.

“Showing and judging animals was such a defining part of my youth — I learned so much about public speaking, giving reasons for my judgments and responsibility. These are skills that have served me well throughout my life, and I can trace them directly back to my involvement in local fairs,” Place said.

Man in red jacket and boy in black shirt interact with a sheep in a barn, leaning over a metal pen.

Fifth-grade 4-H’er Sawyer Watkins from Franklin County shows off his wethers, Ivan the Infamous Teddy Bear Watkins and King Bob the Destroyer Watkins, to CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place. It was Sawyer’s first year showing wethers at the Georgia National Fair.

Fifth-grade 4-H’er Sawyer Watkins from Franklin County shows off his wethers, Ivan the Infamous Teddy Bear Watkins and King Bob the Destroyer Watkins, to CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place. It was Sawyer’s first year showing wethers at the Georgia National Fair.

“CAES’ involvement at the fair enables us to engage not only with young people but also with Georgia citizens in a meaningful way. One of our most important missions as a college is connecting with Georgians through UGA Extension. The Georgia National Fair is the perfect arena for us to do just that.”

Three women stand together at a gardening exhibit, wearing volunteer shirts, with agriculture and extension program banners in the background.

Houston County Master Gardener Volunteers Teddie Berry, Sandy Lee and Ginger Penn take their turn overseeing the UGA Cooperative Extension booth at the Georgia National Fair — interacting with children, answering questions and distributing informational materials from UGA Extension. (Photo by Matt Odom)

Houston County Master Gardener Volunteers Teddie Berry, Sandy Lee and Ginger Penn take their turn overseeing the UGA Cooperative Extension booth at the Georgia National Fair — interacting with children, answering questions and distributing informational materials from UGA Extension. (Photo by Matt Odom)

Fair well, friend

Pulaski County 4-H Agent and County Extension Coordinator Sonya Jones has served as the Georgia 4-H Georgia National Fair contest coordinator and liaison for the past 14 years. Houston County 4-H Agent Sam Price, who takes over the role beginning with the 2025 fair. As the longest-serving coordinator in the history of the position, Jones spearheaded efforts to establish 4-H Day at the Fair, introduce new 4-H fair contests, secure new stoves donated for 4-H food contests, and organize multidisciplinary teams of contest coordinators from all three areas of Extension: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, and 4-H Youth Development.

In one of her final duties as fair contest coordinator, Jones reported that Georgia 4-H’ers from 61 counties entered 1,263 contests at the 2024 fair, with more than 100 entries each from Bleckley, Pulaski and Houston counties. Bibb County had more than 60 entries in 4-H contests, followed by Twiggs, Bryan, Crawford and Peach counties, each with 40-plus entries.

 After 22 years working at the Georgia National Fair with UGA Extension, Jones looks forward to enjoying the event as a patron in 2025, when Houston County 4-H Agent Sam Price takes over as 4-H fair contest coordinator and liaison.

“I look forward to seeing everyone at the 2025 fair, but you will see me enjoying it with my family and entering 4-H family contests with my very own junior 4-H’er,” Jones said.

Illustration of a red and purple Ferris wheel with passenger cars.
Two women stand by a lake with a fairground and Ferris wheel reflected in the water behind them.

Sonya Jones (left) hands over the reins of coordinating the fair's Georgia 4-H contest to Sam Price, who takes over the role beginning with the 2025 fair. (Photo by Matt Odom)

Sonya Jones (left) hands over the reins of coordinating the fair's Georgia 4-H contest to Sam Price, who takes over the role beginning with the 2025 fair. (Photo by Matt Odom)

Group of people in blue shirts and green pom-poms smiling and posing in an arena, with one person making a peace sign.
Four people in purple "Northeast" shirts pose with thumbs up; one wears a large green four-leaf clover costume.
4-H'er participates in a party game during the 4-H Day at the Fair Rally.

Fun with 4-H

Hundreds of 4-H students from around the state gather each year for a rally during 4-H Day at the Fair, featuring games, contests and guest speakers.

Seven people in matching black "State Board" shirts with Georgia map design stand together in an arena.

4-H state board members (from left) Mia Burnett, Agatha Grimes, Carolyn Thomas, Nandini Patel, Kingston Ryals, Esteban Contreras and Kaleb Green.

4-H state board members (from left) Mia Burnett, Agatha Grimes, Carolyn Thomas, Nandini Patel, Kingston Ryals, Esteban Contreras and Kaleb Green.

A 4-H'er and an adult show their smiles at the Georgia National Fair.
4-H'ers enjoy cold drinks during the break in the action at the Georgia National Fair.

Clovers and Co.

Clovers & Co., made up of a cast of singers, dancers, instrumentalists and stagehands, performs for 4-H events, civic groups, and state and national conventions year after year. Founded in 1981, it is an opportunity to for 4-H'ers to promote and share the performing arts. Many alumni have gone on to careers in the music and entertainment fields.

News media may republish this story. A text version and art are available for download.

Illustration of a brown goat with white legs and a pink udder, standing in profile.
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