$16K in prizes up for grabs next week with many contests at fair

Posted 18 July 2025 at 9:05 am

Many new events, including $1,000 pie-baking competition

File photos by Tom Rivers: Kerri Richardson, left, and her sister Caton Conde were among the moms trying to decipher which kid was theirs while the mothers were blindfolded and kids called out, “Mom!” at last year’s fair. The “Mom Calling Contest” returns next week.

Press Release, Orleans County 4-H Fair

KNOWLESVILLE – The 2025 Orleans County 4-H Fair is set for July 21st–26th, and this year brings more fun, and more prizes, than ever before. With over $16,000 in awards and giveaways, the fair features a wide variety of contests, activities, and entertainment for all ages.

One of this year’s biggest surprises? The brand-new $1,000 Apple Pie Baking Contest, sponsored by Valent with support from local apple growers.

“Everything happened so fast,” said Kayla Dengler, the fair contest coordinator. “Valent came forward to coordinate donations, and within 36 hours, the contest was fully funded- and all 20 spots, 10 youth and 10 adult, were claimed.”

A waitlist quickly followed due to overwhelming interest. Contestants will bake their pies at home and bring them in for judging on Thursday, July 24 at 5 p.m. The top baker in each division will walk away with a sweet $200 prize.

This year’s lineup includes several new contests, many free to enter and open to the public:

Feuding Farmers – Life-sized Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em robots with a pitchfork twist!
Pickle Eating Contest – Fast, fun, and full of crunch
Cosplay Contest – Come dressed as your favorite character
Orleans Trail – A live-action Oregon Trail challenge where teams of four compete to ford rivers, hunt to survive, and settle the West (if they don’t catch dysentery first)
Basketball Free-throw Contest – Free to enter!

Qasim Huzair of Lyndonville sings “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses to win the $500 first place prize in the karaoke competition at last year’s Orleans County 4-H Fair.

And some fan favorites are making a return, including:

$1,000 Karaoke Contest
Dairy Decathlon- Ice cream? Yes. Cheese? Yes. Milk? Of course!
2nd Annual Disc Golf Contest
Mom Calling Contest – Can your mom tell it’s you from across the barnyard?
Hay Bale Rolling- Teams of 2 race the clock to push a massive round haybale through a course
Kids Pedal Tractor Pull- Free for kids under 85 lbs

In addition to the contests, the fair is also a celebration of the dedication and hard work of local 4-H youth, who will be proudly showcasing their animals, projects, and exhibits throughout the week competing for prizes and awards.

Whether you’re here for the food, the animals, or just the chaos of shouting “You have dysentery!” in front of a crowd, the 2025 Orleans County 4-H Fair (July 21–26) has something for everyone.

Questions about entering? Call 585-798-4265 or message us on Facebook!