In just a little over a week, about 120 kids from Kimball and Banner counties, age 8-19, will be showing off their projects at the Kimball-Banner County Fair.

“The 4-H portion is, I would say, the centerpiece of fair, but the Ag Society coordinates the entertainment and concessions,” University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension Educator Aaron Berger said.

Fair week officially begins Saturday, August 6 at 8 a.m. with a 4-H clothing and fashion revue. Volunteer judges chosen by the Kimball-Banner County Extension office will be present to decide which projects move on to state level competition.

Berger said the 4-H kids have an unlimited number of projects they can choose from for the program and highlight at fair, which is a conclusion of year-long projects for some.

These projects are not limited to the livestock raising and training so often associated with 4-H and county fairs.

Participants can choose projects in food, clothing, speaking, shooting and even rocketry, Berger said. He adds that 4-H is about learning life skills.

After interviews about their projects, Berger explained, the kids will be judged not just on the outcome of the project, but also the process and lessons learned.

Berger said the volunteer man-hours would be much more than anyone could imagine when it comes to 4-H and fair. Besides the volunteers that it takes to coordinate a county fair, volunteers also come in the form of 4-H club leaders and parents who spend a huge amount of time with the participants.

“I'd hate to even guess,” Berger said about the number of hours, “4-H and fair is a community effort and it happens because many people give time and money to help the kids learn, better themselves, and become active community members. Fair is the culmination of all their efforts.”