Hamburg, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Erie County Fair is more than fun midway rides and unique food offerings. The fair is also a chance for members of 4-H to show off their livestock raising skills.
"We also have the youth development building and they just love bringing their animals to the fair to show them to the fairgoers and also to get to show them and compete against their fellow exhibitors. Then they get to sell their market animals at the end of their stay," said Tammi Kron, Livestock Educator in an interview with WBEN.
Kron says many of the 4-H kids begin their projects for next year's fair as soon as the current one ends.
"I've already got some beef exhibitors that have secured their calves that they're purchasing right now to show and sell at the 2025 Erie County Fair," Kron said.
According to Kron, the beef program runs eight months to a year with kids working with that project, and then kids with smaller animals start that project in May. However, many of them go to quite a few preseason shows starting in April.
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Kron says there was a special emphasis with this year's Fair.
"This year, we focused a lot on marketing and giving the kids the tools to go out and interact with potential bidders to come and support them here at the Erie County Fair," Kron said. "We also do public speaking with our 4-H members through our public presentation program, and they all participate in the livestock interview, where they work with an adult and they share their stories with them. What their milestones were for their project, demonstrating their knowledge of how much expense they have into their project."
Auctions take place Aug. 10 and 17.
"We have about 150 kids that are participating here this year on Saturday, Aug. 10 at 6 p.m. We will be selling our chickens, our rabbits and turkeys," said Kron.
The following Saturday, market lambs, goats and dairy steers will go up for auction.
Kron says there are about 450 participants in the 4-H livestock program.