2026 Rogers County Fair Projects

How to Prepare Your Projects For The 2026 Rogers County Fair

Rogers County OHCE and the OSU Extension Center invite the community to a free fair entry preparation session on August 5, 2026 — everything you need to know to enter, compete, and win.

Inside the exhibition halls of the Rogers County Fair, something remarkable happens every year. A 90-year-old woman brings garments she has sewn herself, every stitch as precise as the last. A craftsman wheels in a working fountain built entirely from glass punch bowls and glassware. Quilts, preserves, hand-thrown ceramics, and heirloom recipes compete for ribbons alongside baskets, baked goods, and knitted masterworks. Each entry is a statement — not of competition for its own sake, but of skill cultivated, creativity expressed, and community celebrated.

If you have ever wanted to enter the Rogers County Fair but did not know where to start, this year presents an ideal opportunity. On August 5, 2026, Rogers County Oklahoma Home and Community Education and the Rogers County OSU Extension Center will host a free fair entry preparation session — open to anyone with a project, a question, or simply a curiosity about what it takes to compete.

When and Where Is The August 5 Fair Entry Session?

The session will be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rogers County Building, 416 S Brady, Claremore. Attendance is free. Participants are encouraged to bring their lunch or something to share.

The session is facilitated by the Oowalla OHCE Group. General Superintendents for the Fair Mary Bacon and Nancy Ferguson plus many of the OHCE Members who server as Division Superintendents will be on hand to answer question. Their experience with the fair spans decades of entries, judging, and category expertise. Bring your projects, bring your questions, and plan to leave with clear direction.

How Do I Prepare to Enter The Rogers County Fair?

This session covers every aspect of the fair entry process, including:

• How to register your projects, including how to submit multiple entries
• A complete overview of all eligible entry categories
• Tips and techniques for strengthening your entry within your specific category
• Honest feedback and informed opinions on the projects you bring
• The camaraderie of a community that takes its craftsmanship seriously and joyfully

Eligible Entry Categories

The session addresses a broad range of fair entry categories, including sewing, knitting, quilting, crocheting and other thread-based work, baking, canning, crafts of all kinds, antiques, and basket weaving. If your project fits within these disciplines — or if you are unsure whether it qualifies — this session is the place to find out.

No Entry Fees. Real Prizes. Genuine Recognition.

One of the most common misconceptions about county fair competition is that entry involves a cost. At the Rogers County Fair, it does not.

“There are no fees to enter the fair,” said Carolyn Dormier. “Accolades are ribbons and money for five places: first place earns $10, second $8, third $6, fourth $4, and fifth $2 — and big bragging rights!”

The prize structure rewards depth of field, encouraging entrants to submit across categories and multiple entries within the same discipline. The financial awards are modest by design — the true currency of the Rogers County Fair is recognition, craftsmanship, and the pride of placing among the best that Rogers County has to offer.

The Spirit of the Fair: Craft, Community, and Continuity

What makes the Rogers County Fair home arts and crafts exhibition meaningful is not the competition — it is the continuity. Generation after generation, Rogers County residents bring the work of their hands and the products of their kitchens, studios, and sewing rooms into a shared space where those efforts are seen, evaluated, and honored.

Carolynn Roberts offered a vivid illustration of that spirit: “We witnessed a 90-year young woman, Lois Summers, who is a long-time fair participant and sews her own clothes. It is amazing to see that her sewing is perfect in every stitch. She continues to enter every year, still drives, and remains involved.”

That story is not exceptional — it is emblematic. There are categories for kids in PreK and Kindergarten up to Seniors in Nursing Homes who compete.

Each entry exemplifies what fair competition can be when participants are encouraged and well informed.

That encouragement is precisely what the August 5 session is designed to provide.

Important Dates and How to Enter

The deadline for Rogers County Fair entries is August 28, 2026. The official Fair Book which contains complete category descriptions, entry rules, and registration forms — is available online at https://rogerscountyfair.com or in print at the Rogers County OSU Extension Center Office at 200 S. Lynn Riggs Blvd., Claremore.

For those who want expert guidance before the deadline, attending the August 5 session is strongly advisable. The difference between a well-prepared entry and a great one often comes down to a single conversation with someone who has stood on both sides of the judging table. 

What is Rogers County OHCE?

The Rogers County Oklahoma Home and Community Education program has served the county since 1937. Operating under the umbrella of the Oklahoma State University Extension office, OHCE is open to everyone and organized around five core commitments: gaining useful skills through research-based educational programs, developing leadership in a social setting, giving back through meaningful community service, participating in monthly local meetings and quarterly county council meetings as well as an annual state meeting, and building friendships that endure.

Rogers County currently hosts six active OHCE groups. Programming varies year to year and has encompassed topics ranging from food preparation and preservation, home arts, health and fitness, and resource management to environmental issues, military family support, and leadership development.

What Does The Rogers County OHCE Do?

The organization’s community service record reflects the breadth of its commitment. Recent OHCE projects in Rogers County include the creation of 340 mastectomy pillows for patients in need, decorated pillowcases for children with cancer at St. Francis Hospital, tray favors for Meals on Wheels and Claremore’s Hillcrest Hospital, grocery collections for children, Salvation Army bell ringing, Becky’s Bears for newly diagnosed cancer patients, and the beloved Literacy at the Fair initiative, through which children receive hand-crafted book bags at no cost.

Membership is straightforward. Contact the OHCE office at 918-923-4958 and ask for Penny King. She will connect you with the right group within the Rogers County network.