A drawing of various farm animals backsides with text 55 Years of Fair-y Tails.

Celebrate with us as the Fair turns 55!

Tompkins County 4-H Youth Fair

Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday, July 23, 2026, 9:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday, July 24, 2026, 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday, July 25, 2026, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Tompkins County’s 4-H Youth Development Programs are preparing for their annual Youth Fair, to be held Tuesday-Saturday, July 23-27, at 4-H Acres, 418 Lower Creek Rd in Ithaca, NY. The week’s events include animal shows, junior and adult Iron Chef competitions, displays of creative projects in the arts and sciences, hands-on activities, delicious food and more. Admission and parking for the fair are free, and most events are open for all to attend.

Events vary day to day. Find the full schedule at CCETompkins.org/4HFair.

For a week each July, the Tompkins County 4-H program hosts this entirely youth-run fair that gives local 4-H members an opportunity to display projects they’ve completed during the preceding 12 months, receive feedback and evaluation and potentially be chosen to move on and present their work for evaluation at the next level, the Great New York State Fair in Syracuse. This year’s theme is 55 Years of Fair-y Tails with a logo designed by a youth.

Visitors will see live animals raised by 4-H members, including rabbits, cows, sheep, goats and dogs. In Kiwanis Hall, stationary displays present creative projects by 4-H members in the arts, animal and environmental science, textiles and more. This year we are adding back our 4-H Auction, July 25 ^th 12:30pm. This offers youth the opportunity to become entrepreneurs—marketing their projects and working out how to price their projects. Auction items include: broiler chickens, plants, art and baked goods. Saturday’s events also include the return of a chicken barbecue, a dog show, rabbit show and hopping competition, plant science activities and the fair’s awards ceremony.