Members of the Rowan County Fair Association, along with volunteers, met last week in preparation for the upcoming 63rd Annual Rowan County Fair.
Now is the time for those who want to enter exhibits in the fair to begin planning to determine their entries.
There are a number of changes for this year’s upcoming fair worthy of noting. Below is a highlight of dates, times and other information associated with this year’s fair.
The Rowan County Fair is three days longer this year. The Rowan County Fair Association has a new carnival vendor that enables the fair three extra days from its normal fair week.
The fair officially opens on Friday afternoon, Sept. 19 at 4 p.m., and will close at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27.
There are no printed fair catalogs this year. With printing costs soaring, fair officials are not providing an official printed catalog. However, there is a complete 2014 Rowan County Fair catalog on the web at www.RowanCountyFair.net The entire catalog including entry blanks will be at this site.
Be aware that if you Google the Rowan County Fair, make sure to include North Carolina in the title because there is also a Rowan County Fair in Kentucky.
Fair entry forms are due Friday, Sept. 12. They are available online, and a few are available at the Cooperative Extension Office.
Entry forms can be brought by the Cooperative Extension Office on Old Concord Road or faxed to 704-216-8995.
The forms can also be mailed to: 2014 Rowan County Fair, PO Box 66, Salisbury, NC 28145-0066. Be sure these are complete, using the catalog online for the correct departments and entry numbers.
When in doubt, enter. Entries will not be accepted past 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12. If you think you may have an entry, no matter what the category or department, but aren’t quite sure, go ahead and complete the entry blank and submit. It is easier to enter and not have an item, than to come up to fair time and have a wonderful specimen that you wished you had entered.
Fair entries and exhibits are due 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18. This is the date when you bring your vegetables, flowers, baked and canned goods, crafts, photos, quilts and other entries or exhibits to the fair to be entered and judged.
All entries will be released on Sunday, Sept. 28, from 2-4 p.m.
Entries are judged Friday, Sept. 19, starting at 9 a.m. Entered items will be judged that morning into the afternoon.
Judges are usually from surrounding counties or they can be local experts. The judges spend hours that day carefully comparing and judging all the entries and most of the educational booths.
All entries will receive placement and ribbons before the fair opens that evening.
Entries items may be removed. After many days of heat and humidity, some fruits, vegetables and flowers rapidly deteriorate. This year, fair officials will take a photo of declining entries and remove deteriorating entries. You’ll have a picture of your entry.

Entry forms are available on page 9A in today’s Post. For more information about the fair, go to the website or call 704-640-2326.