Fair seeks crafts for exhibits

Elizabeth Hare curled up on her living room floor Sept. 27 to work on the latch-hook rug depicting a horse head.

Despite her busy schedule, Elizabeth, 16, wants to make sure she has at least a few creative projects to enter into this year's Merchants Association of Columbia County Fall Fair.

The Greenbrier High School junior said she has entered several arts and crafts projects, including painted ceramics, horse costumes and cross-stitched items, during the past three or four years and has won five prizes, including three first places, in last year's fair exhibits.

"I started out just doing them for the fun of it, mostly during the summer when I stayed home by myself," said Elizabeth, who plans to enter the latch-hook rug and a cross-stitched cat this year. "I like to make stuff."

Handmade entries in youth and adult categories are due to the Columbia County Fairgrounds on Columbia Road between noon and 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17.

The exhibit contest, which is sponsored by the Columbia County Extension Service and 4-H Club, is for adults and children in pre-K through 12th grade, said Shirley Williamson, the county 4-H extension agent youth coordinator.

Williamson said close to 1,000 entries made up last year's exhibits, which are displayed in cases throughout the fair.

Exhibit winners, Williamson said, will be awarded $50 for best in show, $25 for best in class, $7 for first place, $5 for second place and $3 for third place.

Young people can only enter one item in each of the more than 50 categories that include painting, drawing, clothing items, models, knitted and crocheted items and ceramics.

Williamson said she'd like to see more adults enter their crafts.

Peggy Young, a fifth-grade teacher at North Harlem Elementary School, said she and her mother, Marjorie Young, have entered canned goods and crocheted items. The canned goods categories have been taken off the roster this year because of space, Williamson said.

"We're both disappointed because they are not doing the canning anymore," Peggy Young said. "I think that is so important. I just think it teaches the young ones that there used to be another way to do things."

Adults can enter items such as quilts, clothing, photos and other arts in more than 90 categories.

Though Young's mother is no longer able to crochet, Young said she will enter a few crocheted items if she has time.

Williamson said those who have lots of entries should get exhibit tags in advance from the extension office at Savannah Rapids Pavilion.

For more information about categories or entry rules, visit www.county.ces.uga.edu/columbia, and click on the news and events icon, or call the office at (706) 868-3413.