Hall County 4-H Newsletter
July 2026 - Fair Edition
Ice Cream Roll & Culinary Challenge
- Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
- New Location: Raising Nebraska, NE State Fairgrounds
The Ice Cream Roll will be held on Tuesday, July 14th with starting times every half hour from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. All enrolled Hall County 4-H'ers (ages 5-18) may participate in the Ice Cream Roll. Call the Extension Office to pre-register and reserve a time. Arrive at the time slot you have selected to begin measuring, mixing and rolling. Recipes & more information can be found at extension.unl.edu/statewide/hall/4-h-ice-cream-roll/.
The Culinary Challenge Contest will be held on Tuesday, July 14th at 3:30 pm (setup at 3:15) and is open to any enrolled Hall County 4-H member (ages 8-18). Each exhibit will consist of a theme (4-H member’s choice), a menu card, one food item prepared from the menu, recipe for the prepared food item, one or two place settings and a centerpiece. More information can be found at extension.unl.edu/statewide/hall/hall-county-4-h-culinary-challenge/.
Deadline to sign up for both contests is Thursday, July 9th. Volunteers are needed! Please call Cami or Crystal at 308-385-5088 if you have any questions or if you are able to volunteer at these events.
Text Messages for 4-H Families
NEW – Hall County 4-H will be using GroupMe (in addition to email & social media) to communicate important 4-H news, events & deadlines to 4-H families. This will also be how Hall County Fair updates will be sent this year. Get information for Hall County 4-H right on your phone! Text messaging makes it more convenient for families to receive important information. Plus, it’s free and easy to use! (Note: We will no longer be using Remind, as it no longer supports text messages.)
Instructions to sign up for GroupMe:
- Please complete this google form for each phone number that you would like to receive text messages: go.unl.edu/4-hgroupme.
- Within a few days, you will receive a confirmation text message from an unknown number (GroupMe), “You’ve been added to the announcement group Hall County 4-H…”
- After receiving this message, you must reply #stay in order to stay in the group.
- Initially, we shared that you do not HAVE to download the GroupMe app; however we have found that not everyone has been receiving the messages consistently who does not have the app. Therefore, we HIGHLY ENCOURAGE you to download the GroupMe app.
- If you do not receive a message within a few days of completing the google form, check your spam folder in your text messages or call Crystal at the office.
- You can opt out of the group at any time by replying #exit.
Please call Crystal at 308-385-5088 for assistance.
Hall County 4-H T-Shirts
Need a 4-H shirt? Enrolled 4-H youth who are new to 4-H or have outgrown their shirt from last year are welcome to pick one up. Stop by the Extension Office to pick up a shirt before County Fair and pre-fair events!
The 'Early Check-In' Contest is Back!
It’s back—our Early Check-In Contest! Bring your 4-H exhibits to Fonner Park on Wednesday, July 22 from 4–6:30 p.m. and get rewarded for checking in early at the Hall County Fair.
How will the contest work? The earlier you check in animals and static exhibits, the more chances you have to win prizes! Check in all your animals, or all your static exhibits, and then ask a 4-H staff member for an entry form. Complete it and add it to the entry box. We’ll be drawing and announcing winners in both the Cattle barn (for animal check-ins) and in the Aurora Cooperative Pavilion (for 4-H static exhibit entry) every 30 minutes, starting at 4:30 pm. The earlier you check in all your exhibits, the more chances you have to win a prize! Note: Livestock exhibitors are limited to one entry total (not one entry per species).
Why is early check-in helpful? Early check-in gives staff and superintendents more time to organize static exhibits for judging and to prepare for the Thursday livestock shows. Show programs can’t be put together until everyone checks in. Animal check-ins and exhibit drop-offs later in the day mean that volunteers and staff work late to prepare for the next day. We appreciate your help in making early check-in a success—it truly makes a difference!
Here's the latest! Watch your email and GroupMe messages for any additional last-minute changes for the fair!
REMINDER: 4-H OFFICE
During the fair, the 4-H Office will once again be located on the west end of Five Points Bank Arena, in the office with large windows (the State Fair Livestock Office).
4-H RECOGNITION EVENT
Join us for the 4-H Recognition Event on Saturday, July 25 at 1:30 p.m. on the Aurora Cooperative Pavilion stage.
PETS ON THE FAIRGROUNDS
Can my pet come to the fair? No. Only service animals and competition animals are allowed on the Hall County Fairgrounds.
SCOOTERS ON THE FAIRGROUNDS
For everyone’s safety, scooters are not allowed in the barns.
CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION
Stolley Park Road is currently under construction from the South Locust Street intersection east to the entrance to Fonner Park. The Stolley Park entrance remains open but is only accessible from the east via Stuhr Road. To avoid potential delays, we recommend using the alternative entrances located on South Locust Street and East Fonner Park Road which remain fully accessible.
BE FAIR READY!
Before fair week kicks off, we encourage all families to review the Hall County Fair Book at: extension.unl.edu/statewide/hall/hall-county-4-h/hall-county-fair. Check out the fair rules, code of conduct, and general rules related to your projects. Taking time to review these resources will help ensure a smooth and successful fair experience for everyone!
4-H Recognition Event
Join us on Saturday of the Hall County Fair as we recognize our Outstanding Static Exhibitors, Volunteer Award recipients and Shooting Sports award winners. Come and show your support for your fellow 4-H’ers and volunteers as we celebrate their accomplishments!
Clover Kid Show & Tell…at the Hall County Fair!
Thursday, July 23 at 6:00 pm
Aurora Cooperative Pavilion Stage, Fonner Park
It’s Time for our Clover Kids to Shine!
Bring your Clover Kid (4-H members ages 5–7) and their favorite fair project to the stage for a fun and easy Show & Tell! This engaging event gives our youngest 4-H’ers a chance to practice public speaking, shine on stage, and build confidence along the way!
All participants will receive a ribbon and prize! No need to sign up — just come to the Aurora Cooperative Pavilion stage area between 5:30–6:00 PM to get ready for the show!
Questions? Call D’Ette at the Extension Office: 308-385-5088.
Game On! Corn Hole Competition Time
Join us Saturday, July 25 at 2:00 pm in the Five Points Bank Arena for the 5th Annual Family Corn Hole Tournament! Please note the new location! Grab a friend for the competition, or we can pair you up with someone during registration. We promise you’ll make new friends along the way! Registration will begin at 2:00 pm and the Cornhole competition begins at 2:30 pm.
No experience is necessary to join the fun! The age divisions will be 5-8, 9-13, 14-17, 18 & over. Prizes? Yes, of course! We hope to see you there on Saturday afternoon. A BIG thanks to Jason & Lisa Allan and family for organizing this event and building the 4-H Corn Hole boards for this annual contest!
For decades, AKRS has been feeding our livestock sale buyers and 4-H families! Thank you, AKRS, for your support. Your generosity reflects the true spirit of agriculture—nourishing both people and community, one sale day at a time. We’re grateful for your investment in our youth and the future of farming. Join us for this sponsored meal on Sunday, July 26th, 3:30-5:30 pm.
The 4-H Family and Alumni Luncheon is a treasured Hall County Fair tradition. Thank you to Kayl Heating & Air for their generous $1,400 sponsorship! We also appreciate support from Aurora Coop ($250), Signal Swift Deliveries (chips), Super Saver (buns), Equitable Bank (water) and Dairy Queen North for donating Dilly Bars—a sweet highlight of the meal! A big thanks to all! Hope to see you at the Family & Alumni Luncheon on Saturday, July 25th, from 11:30-1 pm!
Wednesday night check-in at the fair is always a little brighter thanks to Pathway Bank! For years, they’ve welcomed 4-H families to the fairgrounds with a hot dog meal, helping turn a busy evening into an enjoyable kickoff to fair week. We’re grateful for their continued support and community spirit! Grab this free meal on Wednesday, July 22nd, from 5-7 pm!
Did you know? We have over 75 local businesses, families, and 4-H supporters who have contributed to the Hall County 4-H awards program.
The banners given for 4-H awards last year were a huge hit! 4-H Council has decided to award banners again this year; however, the sizes will be different for some award categories, per requests from 4-H families. Banners for rabbit, dog, cat/small pet, static exhibits, shooting sports and other pre-fair events will be 12”x16”. Banners for livestock and horse will be 18”x24” (same as last year). Check out the Award Banners this year – designed to honor America’s 250th Birthday!
Hall County Fair Board Members
- Jeff Ewoldt, President
- Jeff Schimmer, Vice President
- Sandy Leiser
- Rod Harms
- Travis Fagan
- Mark Codner
- Chris Kotulak
- Tom Hartman
- Brian Laub
- Dalton Quandt
- Suzy Kleeb
- Corby Flagle, Fair Manager/Executive Secretary/ Executive Treasurer
Horticulture & Floriculture Exhibitors
Horticulture exhibitors- save your seed packets! To exhibit in this area, you must know your varieties and cultivars. This information must come in with your flowers and vegetables on entry day. Need information on exhibiting flowers/vegetables/ herbs/fruit items? Check out these resources when preparing entries for the fair:
Food Exhibitors
To keep food safe for our judges, please check the premium book for a list of food ingredients that are considered unsafe for fair exhibits (egg or cream cheese fillings/frostings, meat items, melted cheese on top of foods, uncooked fruit toppings, etc.).
Any exhibits that require refrigeration will not be accepted. Any exhibit (food or recipe file) that includes alcohol will be disqualified. In addition: Food exhibits should be entered using a disposable pan or plate and covered by a plastic self-sealing bag. Each exhibit must include the recipe, handwritten, photocopied or typed.
Home Design & Restoration and Visual Arts
Remember Supporting Information Cards for Home Design & Restoration and Visual Arts Exhibits. Those can be found here: extension.unl.edu/statewide/hall/hall-county-4-h/hall-county-fair/.
Exhibits in the Visual Arts AND Home Design & Restoration must be ready for display, framed, ready to hang. No single matboard or artist canvas panels are allowed. A wrapped canvas (if staples are not visible on the edge) is accepted without framing, but must still have a hanger. Command strips are not allowed as hangers!
While we love to get those big, awesome home design projects, there is a size limit – no taller than 7 feet and no wider than 6 feet. All exhibits must be easily lifted by two staff members or volunteers.
Clothing Projects
Keep It Safe, Keep It Fun!
- Keep a watchful eye on children. Children should be supervised by their parent(s) or other designated adult(s) at all times.
- Wear closed-toe shoes to protect your feet.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
- Pay attention to the weather forecast and know where you will go if you need to seek shelter from an unexpected thunderstorm.
- Wash your hands after touching animals and always before eating.
Have a safe and memorable time at the fair and always keep safety your #1 priority. Let the fair fun begin!
GroupMe Text Messages for Animal Exhibitors
GroupMe is the new platform that we are using to communicate important 4-H news, events & deadlines to 4-H families, including during the Hall County Fair. Direct links to Fair Programs and Livestock Auction sign-up links will be sent through GroupMe messages. Scroll up to the top for details on how to sign up for GroupMe text messages.
Poultry & Rabbit Cage Setup
- Tuesday, July 21 from 6-8 pm
- Tom Dinsdale Automotive Cattle Barn
All poultry & rabbit exhibitors are asked to please help with cage setup. Many hands make quick work!
Stall Decorating Theme
Show Attire
Show attire includes the following shirt options: green or white 4-H Clover t-shirts, white button-up with 4-H armband, or any of the Hall County Fair/Farm Bureau sponsored Hall County 4-H t-shirts. State Fair or AKSARBEN shirts are NOT permitted. Attire includes dark jeans and closed toed shoes. Shirts and armbands are available at the office for purchase (& will be available at the Fair after check-in). Backtags will be included in the exhibitor livestock packets; no exhibitor number harnesses may be worn.
Bucket Calf/Second Year Bucket Calf
Champion Signs
Livestock Auction Information
Buyer Thank You Notes will be available at the livestock office. Please complete the thank-you, place in the brown envelope, write the name of the 4-H member and the species of the livestock it is for on the outside of the envelope. Place the completed thank you in the designated box outside the livestock office. Thank you’s must be completed BEFORE going through the Auction.
Livestock Sale Cards are still available at the Extension Office. These are great for youth to distribute to potential auction supporters!
Best Practices for Competition Dogs
Dog Show Participants: Competition dogs should only be at the fair on Thursday. If you need to keep your 4-H competition dog on the fairgrounds after the dog show is over, please read the following recommendations:
- Dogs must stay in the club/family areas when not showing.
- Dogs should be on a leash during potty and exercise breaks.
- Dogs should avoid livestock cages/pens/stalls when out of their club/family area.
- For the safety of everyone, youth and dogs may not wander the barn/arena.
- Please do not have your dog in the Five Points Arena after the completion of the dog show.
Dog agility equipment is set up in the Big Red Barn; families are welcome to practice before the Fair, at times convenient to their schedule. Club leaders and 4-H family members/volunteers will set up the agility equipment after Obedience and Showmanship. This will allow for dogs and 4-Hers to go outside for a much-needed break between shows. During the agility competition, each participant is allowed a run-through before they compete.
Hall County 4-H Horse Show Information
Hall County 4-H Horse Ride Night will be held on Thursday, July 16 from 6-8 pm at Fonner Park in Grand Island, NE. Ride Night allows exhibitors and their horses to become familiar with the Thompson Arena and the US Foods Outdoor Arena, meet others in the 4-H Horse Project, and most importantly, have fun!
The Hall County 4-H Horse Show is quickly approaching! Check-in will be from 7-8 am, Friday morning, July 24, at Thompson Arena. The show will start at 8 am. Families will stall their horses next to their trailer. Please clean up the area around your trailer before leaving. Questions? Call the office or check with superintendents Merriah Bockmann or Maddie Krolikowski.
Volunteers Needed to Make Horse Show Run Smoothly: We ask 4-H horse families and clubs to help during the show. Horse Show responsibilities may include:
- Setting up/tearing down the arena for trail, speed & cattle classes
- Checking-in riders for each class
- Running the gates
- Handing out ribbons
- General assistance as needed
Great Job Kade!
The contest consists of one class of judging hens for past production, one set of oral reasons on a production hen class, grading eggs based on exterior quality, interior quality by broken-out quality, grading ready-to-cook poultry and identification of ready-to-cook parts. For more information, go to 4h.unl.edu/pase.
Congratulations!
Hall County 4-H members recently competed in the 4-H Premier Communication Event in Lincoln, NE. Five Hall County 4-H members participated in the PSA contest and all received purple ribbons! Participants were: Conner Benes, Ethan Benes, Jaylee Hatt, Ridley Hatt and Grace Johnson. Grace Johnson received a blue ribbon in the Intermediate division of the Prepared Speech Contest.
Awesome job everyone!
The Radio Public Service Announcement (PSA) contest challenges youth to write and record a 60-second promotional audio recording focused on a yearly theme that could be played on the radio to promote the work of Nebraska 4-H. Youth are judged on their overall organization and delivery of the PSA. For more information, go to 4h.unl.edu/premier-communication-event.
State Fair Animal & Contest Entry
State Fair animal & contest entries must be made online in ShoWorks before 5:00 PM CST on August 10. This entry process must be completed by the 4-H exhibitor (or their family). Fees must be paid using a debit/credit card. There are no other options for payment. Watch your email for more information & the ShoWorks entry link. State Fair rules & regulations can be found here: 4h.unl.edu/state-fair. Please review these thoroughly before arriving at State Fair.
- July 6 - Happy Hounds 4-H Dog Practice, 5:30 pm, south side of the NE Building at Fonner Park.
- July 8 - 4-H Clothing Judging Day & Fashion Show
- July 13 - Happy Hounds 4-H Dog Practice, 5:30 pm, south side of the NE Building at Fonner Park.
- July 14 - Ice Cream Roll & Culinary Challenge (sign up for times), Raising Nebraska at Fonner Park.
- July 11-15 - State 4-H Horse Expo at Fonner Park
- July 16 - Horse Ride Night, 6-8 pm at Thompson Arena, Fonner Park.
- July 22-26 - Hall County Fair
August 10 - Entry deadline for 4-H livestock & in-person contests at the Nebraska State Fair.
August 28 - September 7 - Nebraska State Fair
D'Ette Scholtz
4-H Youth Development
Megan Knuth
4-H Youth Development
LaDonna Obermiller
4-H Youth Development
Joyce Krolikowski
Secretary/Bookkeeper
Crystal Beissenherz
Office Manager
Nebraska Extension - Hall County
Email: hall-county@unl.edu
Website: hall.unl.edu
Location: 3180 W Hwy 34, College Park, Grand Island, Nebraska, USA
Phone: 308-385-5088
Facebook: facebook.com/HallCounty4HNebraska
Twitter: @4HHoopla