Convention Contests

WSFA 2024 CONTESTS

SHOWCASE YOUR FAIR BY ENTERING THE

WSFA CONTESTS AT CONVENTION

Below you will find descriptions and guidelines of contests that occur during the annual convention.

Be prepared by planning ahead of the busy Fair season.

Fair attendance categories

A - Fairs under 8,000 and youth shows
B - Fairs 8,001- 22,000
C - Fairs 22,001- 40,000
D - Fairs 40,001-100,000
E - 100,001 and over.

New Contest!

IN-KIND SPONSOR CONTEST

– Submissions are due October 15th

Our industry recognizes the importance of in-kind and trade sponsorships. This new contest category for 2024 focuses on a partnership where an organization or individual provided a service to your fair that was significant to your success or that was budget alleviating. Please fill out the fillable form linked below and email to tawnia.linde@cceventcenter.org and wastatefairs@outlook.com

In-Kind Sponsor Contest Description

In-Kind Sponsor Fillable Form

2024 Convention Contests

Returning This Year

BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Due Wednesday, October 30 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. or Thursday, October 31, 2024, between 10:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Rules:

Include up to 12 documents/items/photos with descriptions for each submission.
Good News! The essay requirement has gone away but we do want captions or descriptions with the supporting documents. This is where you get to really Tell Your Fair Story.

Item samples to include:

Overall social media campaign
Print advertising
Tickets
Maps
Press Releases
Unique use of media
Souvenirs
Merchandise
Website screen shots

BEST AGRICULTURAL EXHIBIT

Due Wednesday, October 30 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. or Thursday, October 31, 2024, between 10:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Rules:

Enter 1-2 photos of your exhibit and complete a fillable questionnaire to submit for judging. (see form below)
Your documentation should describe the innovative exhibit you enter in this category with details to include participants involved with the exhibit, what it was created out of and information on the success of the exhibit or program. Is this a 2023 exhibit only or one that will remain annually at your Fair. Note: This entry is not required to be your Featured Ag exhibit. Please fill out the fillable form linked below and bring it with your entry.

Ag Exhibit Fillable Form

Fan Favorite Contests

Due Dates

Bring Scrapbook, Poster, T-Shirt entries to the Contest Entry Table on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. or Thursday, October 31, 2024, between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00p.m.
For Photo and Website entries see rules section for due date.
ONLY THOSE ENTRIES SUBMITTED BY THAT DATE AND TIME WILL BE JUDGED. (Late entries will be accepted for display only).

POSTER CONTEST

Due Wednesday, October 30, 2024 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. or Thursday, October 31, 2024, between 10:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.
The purpose of this contest is to share the wide variety of ways fairs market their event with the use of posters.

Posters will be judged in two categories:
Both categories will compete in the appropriate division as determined by fair attendance.

Artistic
The poster should be an Artistic presentation of the fair. A special event or feature may be included, but not required.
Informational
Poster is to clearly present information about the fair (i.e., date, time, special events, cost, preseason ticket purchase location, etc.).

The judging criteria are listed below:
Artistic Points

Design 30
Use of White Space 0
Overall Impact 30
Originality 35
Information/Content 5

Informational Points

Design 20
Use of White Space 20
Overall Impact 20
Originality 10
Information/Content 30

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS 100

Awards:
WSFA Board of Directors will award “Fair Board’s Choice” in both categories if there are qualified entries.

T-SHIRT CONTEST

Due Wednesday, October 30, 2024, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. or

Thursday, October 31, 2024, between 10:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.

Awards:

Awards will be given in each attendance division for “Best Use of Theme”.
There will be “Best of Show” T-Shirt awarded if merited.

*Please note the following: All t-shirts must be picked up by 2:00 PM on the last day of the convention. NONE WILL BE MAILED.

WEBSITE CONTEST

Entry Due Tuesday, October 15, 2024
TO ENTER – PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL TO: wastfair@comcast.net
Be sure to include your attendance category:
A - Fairs under 8,000 and youth shows
B - Fairs 8,001- 22,000
C - Fairs 22,001 –40,000
D - Fairs 40,001-100,000
E - 100,001 and over.
F - Service Member Website

Rules:

The site must be active

The score will be based on the following criteria:

Navigability/organization of website
Overall appearance/impression, including creativity and graphics
Use of graphics and other effects
Website adheres to a consistent theme
Screenshots of your website taken during Fair Time are permitted but not required. Please send screenshots along with your email entry.
All sites will be judged using a 1 to 10-point scale with 1 being the lowest score and 10 being the highest score.

PHOTO CONTEST

Due Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Photos must be mailed to: Tawnia Linde 17402 NE Delfel Road, Ridgefield, WA 98642.

Note: We will accept photos from both 2023 and 2024 as we recognize the difficulty for later Fairs to enter.

All entries will be judged by a professional photographer. In addition to judging the categories listed below, the judges will be asked to select an overall winner. This will be the Grand Sweepstakes winner.

Judging Categories:
A - Carnivals
B - Contests & Games
C - Animals
D - Kids
E - Senior Citizens
F - Entertainment
G - Rodeo
H - General Interest
I - Off Season Activities – A moment outside of your Fair Event

Awards:
Ribbon stickers will be used and put on ALL winning entries on the FIRST day of the convention. Ribbons for winners will be available on request. During one of the meals at the convention a list of winners will be displayed on all tables. All fairs that entered should also be listed. An announcement and ribbon recognition will be made for the GRAND SWEEPSTAKES.

Categories:
BLACK AND WHITE (includes digital and film prints, judged as the same)
A - Carnivals
B - Contests & Games
C - Animals
D - Kids
E - Senior Citizens
F - Entertainment
G - Rodeo
H - General Interest

COLOR (includes digital and film prints, judged as the same)
A - Carnivals
B - Contests & Games
C - Animals
D - Kids
E - Senior Citizens
F - Entertainment
G - Rodeo
H - General Interest
I - Off-Season Activities – A moment outside of your Fair Event

Rules:

Unmounted photos only
Only 8 X 10” or 8 X 12” Black & White or Color prints are accepted. Each will be judged separately.
Photos must depict Fair related activity.
Photos taken by your Newspaper are acceptable: include name of the photographer and newspaper.
Judges have the right to change categories as they see fit, i.e., a photo showing a child and an animal may be general interest.
There will be three places awarded in each of 8 categories.
A Grand Sweepstakes winner for best photo will be chosen by the judges.
All categories may be entered by your fair. Only three entries per category are allowed.
Please use the label template below to label your photos: Include your Fair Name and Category of photos. Captions may be added, but are not required. Stick label to back of photo.
All photos must be picked up by 2:00 PM on the last day of the convention. NONE WILL BE MAILED.
NO PHOTOCOPIES ARE ALLOWED. ALL PHOTOS MUST BE ON PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER.

Photo Label Template

WSFA SCRAPBOOK CONTEST

Due Wednesday, October 30, 2024, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. or Thursday, October 31, 2024, between 10:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.

A scrapbook should tell the story of your fair and its operations. It provides a lasting record of the fair on a yearly basis and is a treasury of all aspects of activities, events and people. Assemble your scrapbook as if every person who looks at it has never attended your fair. These rules were developed to provide flexibility and allow each fair entering a scrapbook to be creative and innovative in producing their record.

Scrapbooks will compete in the appropriate size division (a) under 8,000 and youth shows (b) 8,001-22,000 (c) 22,001-40,000 (d) 40,001-100,000 (e) 100,001 and over. Judging score will be based on the judging results for the categories listed below.

Creativity Total of 30 points

Use of theme 5 points

Use of Color 5 points
Originality 5 points
Readability 5 points
Overall appeal 10 points

Introduction Total of 5 points

Preface (name of fair, name of city, fair dates, fair attendance, theme, category and person(s) doing book

Table of contents (WITH PAGE NUMBERS INDICATED)
Map

Preparations Total of 10 points

Fair Board Activities
Staff
Preparations for Fair

Fair Time Total of 40 points

Entertainment
Fair Activities
Fair Departments

Promotions Total of 15 points

Advertising (anything you paid for)
Publicity
Posters
Miscellaneous promotional pieces (TV coverage, library exhibits, etc.)

Off Season (Optional) NO POINTS

Interim events and activities
Construction (capital and preparation)
Ticket samples, etc.

TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE 100

General rules and instructions
Example: First section of Scrapbook
First Page (Introduction) is a tabbed page.
Page 2 – back of Introduction page is blank – as are all other tabbed pages
Page 3 – Title page/Preface – Must include name of fair, city, dates, fair attendance, category, theme, and person(s) doing the scrapbook
Page 4 – Table of contents – with page numbers included
Page 5 – Map of fairgrounds

Required

Use both sides of pages (except tabbed pages)
Incorporate theme throughout scrapbook
Label (caption) ALL pictures clearly
All pages must have page numbers
Premium/Exhibitor guides MAY be included (many are now on-line, so this is optional)

Scrapbook judge will be from a Fair that has not entered this category. Scores will be tallied, and the judge(s) will give awards based on above scores. The judge(s) will determine the winners in each size division. A “Judges Choice” will be awarded to one entry only. Score sheets will be provided for all scrapbooks.