PINE BLUFF, Ark. — Think you’ve got a green thumb? Know your way around the kitchen? Fancy yourself a quilter? The 85th annual Southeast Arkansas District Fair could be your time to shine.
The fair will open to the public at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Admission is free until 4 p.m.; there is a $5 gate fee afterward.
Competition judges will accept entries in home economics and horticulture individual education from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22, at Hestand Stadium Fairgrounds, located at 420 North Blake Street in Pine Bluff.
Residents from 17 counties are eligible to enter the SEARK District Fair, including Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln, Lonoke, Ouachita, Prairie and Pulaski County. Residents should only enter well-made, new items.
“The home economics categories correspond with those judged at the Arkansas State Fair,” said Mary Ann Kizer, Jefferson County family and consumer sciences extension agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Kizer is also the home economics superintendent for the district fair.
Home Economics Departments and Assistant Superintendents include:
- Art – Claudia Clark, Karen Gray, and Jo Segars
- Baked Goods – Susan Carolan, Tracy Diaz, and Nancy Rosen
- Crafts, Adults – Barbra Freeman, Joyce Johnson, Delores Kelley, Peyton King,
- Linda Murray, and Brenda Robinson
- Crafts, Youth – Connie Herrin, Kaye Richardson, Lori Rositti, and Jenny Wright
- Creative Stitchery & Sewing – Sarah Payton and Frances Smith
- Crochet and Knitting – Terri Penna and Sandy Smith
- Food Preservation and Honey – Jody Stout and Lynda Toler
- Photography – Jo Ann Carr, Tonia Daby and Marnette Reed
- Quilts – Patsy Brown, Brenda Hendrix, and Dianna Winfree
- Woodworking, Home Furnishings – Audrey Armstrong, Kathryn Brown, and Margaret Thomas
- Youth, Juniors, and Adults with Disabilities – Dee Kindrick
Teki Hunt will be the horticulture superintendent. Assistant horticulture superintendents include Maxine Graves and Miriam Lester. Horticulture categories include:
- Ornamental Horticulture – Flowers & Floral Arrangements, Potted or Hanging Ornamental Plants
- Horticulture – Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts
Participants may compete in one of three age categories: Youth (12 years old and younger), Junior (13-18 years) and Adult (19 years and older).
Save time by completing entry forms and entry tags before coming to the fairgrounds. Contact your local Cooperative Extension Service office for entry forms and tags.
Photography entries must be eight by 10 inches and matted within an 11 by 14-inch mat. They must have a stiff backing, no thicker than mat board. Judges will not accept entries that are framed or include glass.
Home economics individual educational entries will be judged on Monday, Sept. 23. Winning entries will receive a blue, red, or white ribbon and a monetary award. Grand Awards will include $100 for adults, $75 for juniors and $50 for youth entries.
Quilts may be hand or machine quilted. The food preparation category will accept edible baked goods that will be tasted for quality. Only six cookies are needed to enter the cookie division. Cakes must be entered whole but may be picked up after judging with only a few slices left for display.
Only clear glass jars will be accepted in the food preservation category so the quality of fruit and vegetables can be judged without opening the jars. Be sure rims are free of rust.
Home economics and horticulture fair entries must be picked up on Sunday, Sept. 29, between 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Other activities at this year’s fair include:
- Winter night painting — Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., taught by Troy DeBill. Cost is $20 per person. Call 870-534-1033 to pre-register and mail check to JCEHC, 509 West St., White Hall, AR 71602
- Community church service — Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., led by Pursuit Church Pastor Justin Wendell at Hestand Stadium Arena
- Community Health Fair & Pre-School Day — Thursday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the business building. The Pine Bluff Fire Department will be there with a fire truck and the Burn House. Pine Bluff Police will bring their Money Machine. The Audubon Society will assist in making bird feeders, Trinity Episcopal Church will teach sand art and the AGFC Delta Rivers Nature Center will bring an exhibit. A petting zoo will be outdoors.
Vendors include Area Agency on Aging, AR Blue Cross Blue Shield, Central Arkansas Veteran Healthcare System, Future Builders – HIV, Tobacco, & Retired senior Volunteer Program, Gentiva Hospice, Pine Bluff Arsenal & Army Community Service, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, University of Arkansas Medical School, South Central Center on Aging and VA Community Residential Care, JRMC – Jones Dunklin Center, Southeast Arkansas Transportation, Hope of the Delta, and AR Health Department.
UAPB Nursing students will provide free blood pressure screenings.
The Pine Bluff Diamond Line Dancers, Divine Dancers of the Delta and David Rodgers and Friends Band will entertain. Several area banks will provide lunch free of charge, including FBT banker Scotty Ray, who will grill hot dogs. Relyance Bank will serve drinks and Simmons Bank will provide chips and dessert.
Events on Saturday, Sept. 28, include a sweet potato bake-off contest, with entries in cakes, pies, cookies and quick breads accepted from 11:00 to noon. Judging will follow.
Jefferson County extension agent Timothy Wallace will chair a talent show and will accept entries beginning at 5:30 p.m. Cost per entry is $15.
The carnival will be open Tuesday through Saturday. The rodeo will be Friday and Saturday.
For entry forms, visit the Jefferson County Extension Office at 500 S. Idaho Street in Pine Bluff, call 870-534-1033 or e-mail [email protected]. Entry tags are at the Cooperative Extension Office and will be available at check-in on Sunday, Sept. 22.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
