McHenry County 4-H Show Information

4-H Show Resources

McHenry County 4-H 2025 Fairbook
McHenry County 4-H Fair Entry Link: Direct link to Fair Entry
Family Instructions to Enroll in Exhibits: Step by step directions for enrolling projects on FairEntry.
Schedule of Events for 2025 Fair
4-H Fair Checklist
2025 Fair FAQs
4-H Building Monitor sign up
FoodStand Sign-up
Grand Stand Sign-up
CODE OF CONDUCT – Please go over this and explain to your members and families that they agreed to the behavioral guidelines when they signed up in 4HOnline. Leaders will not have to collect signed forms.
Absentee Form
State Fair date – Friday, August 8 – See State Fair info on Illinois 4-H Website

Judges Resources:

McHenry County 4-H Fairbook:
Illinois 4-H Project Resources, descriptions, judging sheets: https://4h.extension.illinois.edu/members/projects
Conference judging training: https://web.extension.illinois.edu/4hjudging/course/
Example videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF90EF816D00F33B2

Show Dates 2025

4-H Judging Dates: Dates subject to change

June 7: Dog Fun Show
June14: Dog Show
July 8-9: Archery -Demonstration Judging
July 10: Air Rifle -Demonstration Judging
July 18 AM: General Project Judging - Sewing, Shopping, Interior Design, Photography, Computer Technologies, Robotics, Video, Individual & Group Cloverbud Projects - Bldg D
July 18 AM: General Project Judging - Visual Arts - 4-H Bldg
July 18 PM: General Project Judging - Animal/Vet Science, Cat & Small Pet show Civic Engagement & Service Learning, College & Career Readiness, Ready4Life, Communications, Consumer Education, Leadership, Child Development, Family Heritage, Health, Intercultural, Theatre arts - 4-H Bldg
July 19 AM: General Project Judging - ALL Natural Res. & Environment Projects, Shooting Sports displays, ALL Engineering & Technologies: Aerospace, Woodworking, Tractor, Small Engines, Bicycle, Electricity, Welding, Maker - 4-H Bldg
July 20: Rabbit Show
July 28 AM: General Project Judging - Food & Nutrition: Cooking, Food Science, Sports Nutrition; Horticulture & Floriculture; Crops, Plants & Soils; Exploratory, Collections, County projects: Lego, model, reading, sports, conservation/environment
July 28 : Livestock check-in begins
July 29-Aug 3 – McHenry County Fair
July 29: Goat, Poultry, Swine Carcass Class
July 30: Dairy, Sheep, Swine Showmanship
July 31: Beef, Beef Carcass, Swine
July 31: 4-H Night
Aug 1: Horse show
Aug 2: Livestock Auction
Aug 3: Master Showman Competition
State Fair County Date: Aug 8 - See IL state website for more information

General Project Information

2025 McHenry County 4-H General Project Exhibit Guidelines Judging dates are July 18, 19 (most projects) & July 28 (food, horticulture, crops).
Illinois 4-H Project information: including show guidelines, resources, judging sheets and more!
McHenry County 4-H Project Report: Required for absentee projects ONLY.
Photography Tip Sheet: Finding your photo's metadata.
Photography Model Release
Cooking 101, 201, 301, 401 Curriculum: Foods exhibits in Cooking 101,201,301, & 401 do NOT need the activity mentioned in the original exhibit guidelines.
Cat Entry Sheet due July 1 for Cat Show
More project resources

Cloverbud Resources:

Cloverbud Project Report: Suggested for all Cloverbud projects
Cloverbud Group Project Report: Suggested
Cloverbud curriculum Utah 4-H: https://extension.usu.edu/utah4h/discover
4-H AT HOME: https://4-h.org/about/4-h-at-home/
Big book of Cloverbud activities:
Curriculum available on from the 4-H mall or check with the Extension office: https://shop4-h.org/collections/curriculum

Livestock Show Information

2025 Livestock Showbook ALL livestock shows are pending approval and these guidelines are NOT final! This is a preliminary copy for general livestock information ONLY to help you plan your potential livestock entries.
2025 Livestock Ownership Deadlines McHenry County will observe all Birth & Ownership dates set by the state, Tattoo & Weigh-in dates for Beef & Sheep.
YQCA – Required for Beef, Dairy, Goats, Sheep & Swine.
- Youth must register to attend a face-to-face class or certify on-line on the YQCA website: https://yqcaprogram.org/
- Deadline July 1
QAEC – Required for companion animals one time in a 4-H members career for each project area participating.
- Includes: Cats, Dogs, Horse, Poultry, Rabbit, Small Pet
- Open NOW: ZSuite
- Deadline July 1
Illinois 4-H Livestock Issues: State and Federal laws dictate the production and exhibition of livestock. Know what's required of you as an Illinois 4-H livestock producer and exhibitor.
4-H LIVESTOCK AUCTION: For questions, please contact the Livestock Committee.
2025 Auction Card