For many visitors, the Delaware County Fair is about the sights and sounds outside - the midway lights, the smell of fair food, the excitement of the livestock barns and the roar of the rides.
But tucked among the larger attractions is a place where creativity, hard work and a little bit of fair magic come together: the 4-H Youth Building.
“Don’t miss the 4-H Building,” said Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County Executive Director Emily Roach. “There is something new to discover every day.”
The building showcases the work of hundreds of local young people who spend months preparing projects, learning new skills and bringing their accomplishments to the fair.
Visitors can watch 4-H members demonstrate everything from public speaking and cooking to sewing, crafts, agriculture and animal care. Throughout the week, 4-H teens will lead hands-on activities designed to get visitors involved, not just walking through and looking.
Daily public presentations will give fairgoers a glimpse of one of the skills 4-H emphasizes beyond the show ring: confidence.
“Many youth participate in public presentations during the 4-H year, which assists with public speaking skills,” Roach said. “4-Hers have registered to demonstrate their public presentations throughout the week of fair in the youth building.”
The 4-H experience has always been about more than ribbons and trophies.
Founded in the early 1900s as a way to connect young people with agriculture, education and community involvement, 4-H grew from rural youth programs focused on farming skills into one of the nation’s largest youth development organizations. The familiar four-leaf clover represents the program’s four values: head, heart, hands and health.
Today, 4-H members explore everything from livestock and gardening to technology, arts, leadership and communication — skills designed to stay with them long after the fairgrounds empty.
At the Delaware County Fair, those lessons come to life.
Visitors can watch 4-H animal shows, explore youth projects, see the daily chick hatching, try hands-on activities led by 4-H teens and take part in the quilt ticket raffle. The annual Fashion and Textile Showcase will highlight creativity and craftsmanship, while the Table Setting competition will showcase attention to detail and presentation.
For those interested in agriculture, the 4-H Livestock Auction will take place Saturday at 2 p.m., giving visitors a chance to see the culmination of months of work by young exhibitors.
This year, the 4-H Youth Building will also feature projects celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Throughout the fair, visitors can view the work 4-H members have created around that theme.
For families visiting the fair for the first time, Roach recommends starting outside in the animal barns.
“Walk around the animal barns and interact with the 4-Hers,” she said. “Learn about their 4-H projects.”
Then make your way to the Youth Building, where the experience becomes hands-on.
The projects displayed there represent countless hours of preparation. Some may look simple - a painting, a baked good or a handmade item - but each represents time spent learning, practicing and improving.
“Many hours are put into these projects no matter how small or large,” Roach said. “These can vary from a painting in the youth building to selling an animal at the livestock auction.”
More than 400 Delaware County 4-H members are eligible to participate in the shows and activities at this year’s fair.
Behind every exhibit is a story. A recipe may have been passed down from a great-grandparent. A young farmer may be continuing a family tradition that stretches back generations. A first-time exhibitor may be discovering a skill that shapes their future.
That connection between generations is what keeps 4-H a treasured part of the Delaware County Fair after nearly 140 years.
“Delaware County 4-H is deeply rooted not only in the county structure but also with generations of local families who have gone through the program,” Roach said.
Whether visitors come to admire the animals, try a hands-on activity or simply see what local youth have created, the 4-H exhibits offer a reminder that the fair is about more than entertainment.
It is about community, tradition and the next generation learning skills they can carry wherever life takes them.
“Lifelong skills that they can always fall back on no matter what path they go on in life” is what Roach hopes visitors and participants take away from the 4-H experience.
