While August brings us the dog days most years, it does bring us the WV State Fair. The impact of the State Fair on the local area is very great with large numbers of visitors everyday. The impact ripples across the Mountain State and over the border to neighboring Virginia. The fair also has a huge impact on many 4-H members from all over the state.

The first positive consequence of the Fair is the 2,352 4-H’ers that have exhibits in Department O, the 4-H department of the fair. These exhibits can be found in the Cecil Underwood Youth Building at the fair and the range of projects exhibited cover the entire offerings that 4-H has to offer. In the building you will also find the State 4-H Photo Exhibit with photos from over 40 counties. Once we add the other exhibits, we have items from 52 of the 55 counties.

Behind every exhibit is a story. We have 12 best of show awards that include some great work by 4-H members age 9-21. When I spend time in the building, I often meet the families who come from afar to see their child’s exhibit. That is really an exciting experience and you are only 9 or 10 years old. 4-H’ers get a premium from the fair with a small monetary award and I have known kids who have framed their $3.50 and their blue ribbon in a frame.

The Youth Building is also home to a 4-H talent show each day and we showcase many of our very talented 4-H’ers from across the state. The 4-H Dance Ambassadors were there over the weekend to perform and drew a large crowd each time they performed. We also have a concession stand within the building that provides snack foods and drinks that raise money to support the 4-H program in the eight counties that are working the fair this year.

We experienced an added bonus to the State Fair this year when we hosted the state 4-H camp planning committees for OMC and the Alpha camps. The planning committees spent half of the weekend working on the 2008 camps and then the other half of their time working in the Youth Building, the new WVU building and enjoying the fair. The youth stayed at the Greenbrier County Youth Camp and enjoyed their time in the Greenbrier valley.

Details of the plans for the 2008 camps will be shared via the blog as we put the plans of the committee into effect.

We hope to see you at the WV State Fair. The State Fair runs until Saturday, August 18.