By Quinn O’Hara

Photo by Quinn O’Hara

The Open Class Exhibits are one of the least known events at the Clay County Fair each year, according to Jessica Richardson, a Fair Assistant and organizer of the Open Class event.

The rules for the Open Class Exhibits state that any person may compete in any class except for those especially for the Junior Division. That means anyone can enter their livestock, photography, food, crafts, and more in one of 14 different departments.

Richardson said many people believe you must be a part of 4-H to participate in the fair competitions, which isn’t true.

The rules for entry for each open class department can be found in the 2024 Clay County Fair Book either on the Clay County Fair Association Facebook page or the Clay County Fair website. Entries will be accepted at certain times on Tuesday, July 23, and Wednesday, July 24, depending on the class department the entry falls under.

Richardson said that everyone in the community has something they excel at, and she encouraged folks to show off their talents through the Open Class Exhibits.