Cornell Cooperative Extension

Columbia and Greene Counties
4-H Fair

Columbia County Fair

The Columbia County Fair has been providing family fun for 180 years offering with all fair favorites as well as new entertainment that fill the stages, exhibit buildings, barns, midway and grandstand. 4-H members from Cornell Cooperative Extension are preparing for and looking forward to six days of fun (always over Labor Day) in Chatham, New York.

Organized by the Columbia County Agricultural Society, Inc., a non-profit organization, the fair promotes all aspects of agriculture, horticulture, arts and crafts for all age groups through educational instructions, displays and competitions.

For more information including the calendar of events, please visit columbiafair.com.

Livestock Sale Monday, Sept 2nd 1:00 PM at the Show Ring

The Livestock Sale is part of the 4-H Market Livestock Project, designed to teach youth about raising animals for meat production. They attend educational meetings about proper handling, market specifications and business aspects. Throughout the year the youth use this knowledge to care for their animals – feeding, grooming, exercising and working with them so they are ready for the show and sale.

On the business end, the 4-H livestock owners keep financial records and recruit prospective buyers to join us for the sale. Each 4-H member must complete this project to be able to participate in the auction sale and only blue ribbon animals with a rating of “excellent” qualify for sale.

The proceeds of the sale benefit Columbia County’s 4-H youth livestock producers, the next generation of farmers in Columbia and Greene Counties. These 4-H members use their sale profits to invest into their herds and flocks by purchasing more animals and to save for their college or other future expenses.

You may purchase a live animal for processing, to take home or give to a local food bank OR you can donate the animal back to 4-H. If you choose to have the animal processed, you will decide on how you want it cut with an expert at the auction to assist you. For this option, you will pay the processing fees and the 4-H’er will hand deliver your meat, all vacuum-packed and labeled! If you decide to donate the animal back to 4-H, it will be re-sold later in the auction to support the Columbia and Greene 4-H livestock program.

Columbia County Fair Resources:

Those involved in the 4-H Club Program will find useful forms here. Click on the link to access your downloadable form.

2024 Aug. 28-Sept. 2

2024 Animal Show Programs

2023 August 30th - Sept 4th

Pullorum Testing for County and State Fairs

On behalf of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, we would like to alert poultry exhibitors that pullorum testing is required to exhibit birds (excluding waterfowl and pigeons) at county and state fairs for the year of 2023. More information about local testing is listed below. No more than 20 birds may be tested at one time. To register for flocks of over 20 birds, or with questions about testing, please contact Kim Volpe at 845-325-3076 or [email protected] for more information.

Who: Birds 4 months of age (16 weeks) and older (waterfowl and pigeons excluded)

What: Pullorum Testing to permit showing of birds at county and state fairs

When: Sunday, July 30th from 9:00 am-12:00 pm

Where: Show Ring at the Columbia County Fairgrounds – Route 203 Entrance, 32 Church Street, Chatham, NY 12037

2022 August 31 - Sept 5

2021

Last updated August 26, 2024

Columbia County Fair

List of 4-H Event Participants

Click HERE for the complete list of 4-H Event Participants at the Columbia County Fair (TBD).

Public Presentation Showcase Schedule

Click HERE for the Public Presentation Showcase Schedule for the Columbia County Fair (TBD).

Events

There are no upcoming events