State 4-H events by project area

Science | Citizenship & leadership | Expressive arts & communications | Family & consumer science | Animal science | Environmental, shooting sports & wildlife | 4-H Volunteers

To view county or local club events, visit the county website.

View state 4-H events by month

Minnesota State Fair

4-H plays a pivotal role in youth development and public education at the Minnesota State Fair. More than 7,000 4-H youth have the opportunity to interact with the public and educate fairgoers through 4-H exhibits, demonstrations, performances, and 4-H promotion. More info.

• Aug. 23 - Sept. 3, 2012 - 4-H Building, Minnesota State Fairgrounds

Camping

Develop a greater awareness, understanding and appreciation of nature and our relationship to it through fun, hands-on discovery and exploration activities. Find out about camp counselor trainings in your area. More info.

Science events

4-H Science Training

Teams of adult and youth volunteers will be trained with highly interactive curriculum in Aquatic Robotics or one of three other focus areas at one of three training dates. More info

Citizenship & leadership events

BLU - Building Leadership and Understanding

Building Leadership and Understanding (BLU) is an exciting and fun leadership adventure. More than 400 youth from across Minnesota come together to learn and practice valuable leadership skills that they will use in their communities throughout their lives. More info.

• Jan./Feb. 2013 Dates TBD

YELLO! conference

Youth Exploring Leadership and Learning Out Loud! is an annual statewide, four-day leadership conference with group discussions, workshops, service opportunities, challenging speakers and hands-on activities designed for youth. More info.

• June 11 - 14, 2012 - 4-H Building, Minnesota State Fairgrounds

Minnesota 4-H Foundation Golf Classic

The Minnesota 4-H Foundation's annual Golf Classic brings together 4-H Youth and golfers from around the state and raises funds to support a wide range of high-quality youth programs. Golfers have the opportunity to meet and learn from 4-H members.

• June 11, 2012 - Medina Golf & Country Club.

Citizenship Washington Focus

CWF is a citizen and leadership event for high school youth from across the United States. Youth learn about government, the legislative process, meet with elected officials and visit many national monuments and historical sites in Washington D.C. More info.

• June 30 - July 7, 2012 - National 4-H Conference Center, Washington D.C.

National 4-H Conference

The National 4-H Conference is a working conference in which youth and adults, at the invitation of the Secretary of Agriculture, assist in the development of recommendations to help guide 4-H Youth Development Programs nationally and in their communities. More info.

• Mar. 2013 Dates TBD - National 4-H Conference Center, Washington D.C.

Expressive arts & communications events

Minnesota 4-H State Arts-in

Minnesota 4-H Arts-in is an eight-day intensive arts experience, as they prepare a musical to perform during the Minnesota State Fair. Youth gain experiences in performing arts, including singing, dancing, acting, instrumental accompaniment, costume design, set construction and technical work. Each year, 4-H State Arts-In youth perform at least 40 shows to 12,000 audience members in the 4-H Building on the fairgrounds. More info.

Participants continue to work on goals while putting on several daily performances, and play leadership roles for 4-H members and act as representatives for 4-H Building visitors.

• 4-H state Arts-in: Show development - Aug. 9 - 16. 2012 - 4-H Building, Minnesota State Fairgrounds

• 4-H state Arts-in performances - Aug. 23 - Sep. 3, 2012 - 4-H Building, Minnesota State Fairgrounds

4-H Share the Fun state fair showcase

Youth from counties prepare and perform a play, dance, musical, or other act. Each county nominates one group to perform at the state fair. State Fair Share the Fun nominations/applications will be available June 1st, 2012. Rehearsal times are assigned on a first come, first served basis upon receipt of the nomination/application forms. More info.

• Aug. 2012 - 4-H Building, Minnesota State Fairgrounds

Family & consumer science events

Consumer decision-making judging contests

Participants judge five classes in the areas of personal Care, entertainment & leisure, clothing & textiles, consumerism & personal finance, and nutrition. Participants also have a questions class, in which they must recall facts about the items in a class. Intermediate participants (grades 6-8) present one set of reasons and senior participants (grades 9+) present two sets of reasons to a judge. More info.

State judging contest

• Aug. 2012 - University of Minnesota, St. Paul campus

Animal science events

4-H Lama Judges Clinic

This exciting training is designed for those already judging county fair 4-H lama shows as well as those who would like to get started. More info

• March 2013 Dates TBD - Mower County Fairgrounds, Austin, Minnesota
• Cost $25

Agility judges seminar for current and prospective 4-H judges

This is a seminar for current judges and prospective judges in agility. 4-H dog project leaders or Extension personnel are welcome as auditors. It is NOT a seminar designed for younger 4-H members (though a youth leader in a county leadership position with interest in future judging would be welcome). More info.

Minnesota 4-H Poultry Prince & Princess Contest

State fair 4-H poultry exhibitors have the opportunity to participate in a $1000 MN 4-H and Gold n Plump scholarship contest. The Minnesota 4-H Poultry Prince and Princess Contest at the Minnesota State Fair is an exciting opportunity for 4-H youth to be recognized for their poultry knowledge, experience, leadership and confidence. To enter you must be: participating in 4-H Poultry Interview/Quiz/Showmanship at 2012 Minnesota State Fair, participating in the 4-H Chicken BBQ Contest at 2012 Minnesota State Fair and have completed grade 9 and up as of 2012.

• Aug. 2012 - Final Round - Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul More info.

Dog Project State Fair Showcase

The state dog committee likes to highlight the Minnesota 4-H Dog project at the Minnesota State Fair during the livestock encampment weekend, and needs youth from the 4-H dog project to be involved in this showcase. This is a great opportunity to help promote the Minnesota 4-H Dog Project and we need lots of help to make this a success! More info.

• Aug. 2012 - 4-H Building, Minnesota State Fairgrounds

Livestock Quality Assurance & Ethics Training

All youth participating as a state fair 4-H livestock exhibitor in beef, dairy, sheep, swine, poultry, rabbit, meat and dairy goat, and lama must have completed the LQA&E workshop. Certification is good for three fair seasons. The level of training required is determined by the grade of the youth at the time the training takes place.

Dates and locations vary by county. Check this list for more information.

Minnesota 4-H State Horse Winter Roundup

Winter roundup includes three days and two nights of learning, sharing information and having fun. The 2011 keynote speaker will be Julie Christie, equine science program leader, focusing on equine behavior, welfare and exercise. Sessions on how to select a youth horse and Horse Project areas will be geared toward new 4-H parents,leaders, veteran leaders, and junior youth leaders. More info.

• Jan. 2013 dates TBD - Green Lake Bible Camp, Spicer MN

4-H regional & state project bowls

Project bowls are an exciting way for youth to explore a project area. Teams compete in quiz competitions with questions about specific project areas. Project bowls are available for dairy, dog, general livestock (beef, sheep & swine), horse, poultry, rabbit and shooting sports & wildlife projects. Winners of the regional bowls advance to the State Project Bowl. More info.

• 2013 Date TBD - Foley
• 2013 Date TBD - Hastings
• 2013 Date TBD - Grand Rapids
• 2013 Date TBD - Redwood Falls
• 2013 Date TBD - Snow date (in case of cancellations)

Horse judges' certification

Every spring, a Minnesota 4-H horse judges seminar offers the opportunity to certify or recertify as a 4-H horse judge. More info.

Expo tack sale

The tack sale at Minnesota's Horse Expo is held annually in St. Paul at the state fairgounds. The sale is managed by the Minnesota 4-H Horse Association and is its major fund raising event. More info.

• Apr. 2013 date TBD

Train the Trainer: A 4-H Dog Project Leader Training Workshop

This is only for youth leaders of high school age and adult leaders who train in county programs - not for youth leaders/parents who want to experience more of the Minnesota 4-H Dog Project. They should consider the Dog Supersession, Jordan, Minnesota.

• May 2013 date TBD

4-H animal judging contests

Effectively evaluating breeding and market animals is highly important in the animal industry. Judging is an art developed through patient study and long practice. 4-Hers interested in dairy, general livestock (beef, sheep & swine), horses, poultry, and rabbits can learn to be a good judge by knowing the parts of the animal and their location, which parts are most important for meat and breeding stock production, making keen observations and comparing to the ideal, weighing the good and bad points of each animal, and much more. More info.

• Check with your county for local county judging contests.
• State fair contest details in the Premium Book - Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul

Gopher 4-H Dairy Camp

A fun three-day workshop for teenagers who want to improve their dairy cattle skills. The camp is open to all youth who have completed grades 6-11, but not yet started 12th grade. Activities include dairy workshops, Dairy Showmanship, the Gopher Gold Auction, Dairy Cattle Judging Clinic, and an evening activity. More info.

• June 10 - 12, 2012 - University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus

Supersession 2012: 4-H Dog Project Training Workshop

4-H dog owners bring their dogs to this training and networking workshop for youth in 4th grade and older, their families, trainers, potential trainers, and youth and adult leaders. Participants can select from three areas: Agility, Obedience and Showmanship, and will learn tips and techiques for showing their dog, how to handle problems, how to groom a dog properly and much more. More info.

• June 23 - 24, 2012 - Scott County Fairgrounds, Jordan, Minnesota

"Catch the Dairy Showcase Fever'

State fair 4-H dairy cattle exhibitors who receive a purple or blue ribbon in their class will qualify for the Showcase. Points will be earned for their involvement and success with the state fair interview process, dairy project bowl, dairy judging contest and showmanship. Youth must also complete an online leadership portfolio that awards points in the areas of 4-H and dairy industry involvement and leadership, along with community, school or church involvement. The portfolios will be judged by a panel of anonymous judges. All of these things will be compiled in a scorecard format and the top 25 applicants will be announced Saturday evening following the dairy show.

• Aug. 28, 2012 - Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul More info.

Western Heritage State Competition

Minnesota 4-H Western Heritage is an activity to help youth explore and preserve our Western Heritage. Youth willl explore our Western Heritage and develop an appreciation for it; learn to balance competition and education; learn safety skills; develop tools of sportsmanship and realistic goal setting; and develop leisure opportunities.

4-H members participating need not be enrolled in the Horse Project. More info.

National 4-H Dairy Conference

200 youth from 4-H dairy projects around the U.S. and Canada gather in Madison, Wisconsin for the National 4-H Dairy Conference held annually in conjunction with World Dairy Expo. Participants learn about production, processing, marketing and use of dairy products, and develop a broader understanding of careers available in dairy production, biotechnology, genetics, marketing and other areas. The conference consists of participatory workshops on the University of Wisconsin campus, speakers, tours and visits to the World Dairy Expo. More info.

Minnesota 4-H State Dog Show

The Minnesota 4-H State Dog Show is an annual event held in the fall after the Minnesota State Fair. The state show consists of agility, obedience, and showmanship events. To be eligible for the state show, 4-Hers must first qualify at their county level. More info.

• September 22-23, 2012 - Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul

Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show

The Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show is held every fall, and provides lifetime skills and learning experiences for 4-H Horse Project members, families and leaders. Effective as of 2007, all 4-Hers participating in any 4-H sponsored mounted activity are required to wear properly fastened ASTM/SEI approved protective headgear. More info.

• September 14–17, 2012 - Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul

Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup

Winning Project Bowl teams, hippology teams, judging teams, and speech and demonstration winners can compete at a national level. More info.

Previous national trip results: 2009 | 2008 | 2007

Environmental, shooting sports & wildlife events

4-H camp counselor training

Camp counselor training is designed to provide the skills and knowledge to be an effective camp counselor and leadership team member. Training topics include: role of camp counselor, theme and program development, recreation leadership, group facilitation, conflict resolution, outdoor environment and nature programming, and much more. More info.

• Dates vary by county and region. Check with your county offices for dates and locations.

Shooting sports & wildlife leader certification

Shooting Sports & Wildlife instructors must be certified. This training is designed to cover the needed knowledge and rules to become a certified instructor in one discipline: archery, muzzle-loading, shotgun, air rifle/air pistol/.22 rifle, wildlife and coordinator. It covers life skills, state regulations, and content skills needed for each of the six disciplines. More info.

• Fall 2012 - Rochester, MN
• Spring 2013 - Deep Portage Environmental Learning Center, Hackensack, MN

Minnesota State 4-H Shooting Sports & Wildlife Invitational (State Shoot)

4-H youth in grades 3 through one year past high school who have completed 15 hours of shooting with a certified instructor and eight hours of wildlife education may participate in the following areas: archery, muzzleloading, shotgun, air rifle, air pistol, .22 rifle, silhouette shoot and a skill-a-thon. More info.

• September 7-9, 2012 - Fairmont, MN (Martin County)

4-H volunteers training, events and resources

State 4-H leadership offers a number of training events throughout the year where volunteers learn about leading clubs, curriculum, and activity ideas. You may attend trainings in your own county or other counties that focus on specific project areas or regional activities. More info.

• Feb. 2013 dates TBD - Minnesota 4-H Adult Volunteer Association Forum. More info.