9 Competitions You Never Thought to Enter at Ventura County Fair

by Visit Ventura

Although we love carnival rides and fireworks, the heart of fairs has always been agriculture and we’ve compiled a list of fun, unique Bounty of the County competitions that you’ve never thought to enter. Get inspired and enter for the first time at Ventura County Fair! Nothing like a prize for best homebrew to win bragging rights among your friends.

1. Homebrew Beer Competition

With craft breweries making beer aficionados out of average Joes, lots of people are experimenting with home brewed beer. If you think you have the best beer recipe, enter Ventura County Fair’s Homebrew Beer competition! Beers are judged by aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression. Find details here.

2. Street Chalk Art Contest

Those childhood skills could be of good use at Ventura County Fair’s street chalk art contest. This 8 hour timed event invites 6 participants to draw their best chalk art on 24″X24″ chalkboards. Creativity encouraged! Find details here.

A photo posted by Laura (@lalluskainen) on May 31, 2016 at 10:26pm PDT

3. Homemade Dairy Products Competition

Ever try making your own ice cream? No better time to start than today. Perfect your recipe by August and enter to win a prize at Ventura County Fair’s homemade dairy products competition. Butter, fresh milk, yogurt -it all counts! Find details here.

A photo posted by (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･✧ (@celestialjasmine) on Aug 17, 2015 at 12:43pm PDT

4. Cowboy Poetry Contest

How’s your Western-themed vocabulary? Make it rhyme and you could win a prize at Ventura County Fair’s cowboy poetry contest. Let ranching, animals, land, environment, home family, events, pets, friends, and characters inspire you. Poems should reflect an understanding of Western life and heritage. Whether serious, inspirational or comical, write 36 lines or less and read it in a convincing and enthusiastic manner for a chance to win. Find details here.

A photo posted by @s_bender on Aug 20, 2015 at 4:30pm PDT

5. Best Amateur Olive Oil

Did you know there are over 16 categories for amateur olive oil entries? Mission, Sevillano, Ascolano, Picholine, and Arebequina among others. Give homemade olive oil a shot and enter this amateur competition at Ventura County Fair. Find details here.

A photo posted by @namorandoumgourmet on Apr 25, 2015 at 6:27am PDT

6. Dinner Rolls Bake-Off

Is your family dinner roll recipe the best on the block? Bring your most delicious homemade dinner rolls to Ventura County Fair’s King Arthur Flour Adult Baking Competition. Find details here.

A photo posted by King Arthur Flour (@kingarthurflour) on May 29, 2016 at 5:31am PDT

7. Homemade Honey and Bee Products Competition

There’s no sweeter hobby than bee keeping and more and more people are setting up bee boxes and collecting their own honey! Whether avocado, eucalyptus, orange, sage, sumac, or wildflower, honey is a work of art and deserves a prize. Enter Ventura County Fair’s homemade honey and bee products competition this summer. Find details here.

A photo posted by Linda Beeson (@lrbeeson) on Aug 14, 2015 at 12:18pm PDT

8. Miscellaneous Unusual Character Competition

It’s true. You can win a prize for those funny-looking fruits and vegetables you find in your garden! Categories include funny shaped lemon, longest single ear of corn, longest zucchini, longest carrot, largest sunflower, largest pumpkin, largest beet, largest watermelon, largest apple, and largest turnip. Find details here.

9. Best produce competitions

Did you know California grows over 11 varieties of avocados and tomatoes? We are so lucky in this beautiful golden state to have fruit and vegetable trees growing in our backyards, often providing us with more fruit and vegetables than we know what to do with. Well now you know you can bring some with you to one of Ventura County Fair’s Bounty of the County competitions! Find details here.

A photo posted by Louise Myers (@lumyers) on Aug 19, 2015 at 7:42pm PDT

And of course, win or lose, at the end of the day you’ve always got mini donuts, carnival rides, and fireworks to top off an amazing day at Ventura County Fair!