Del Mar
California
Celebrating Creativity - Put Your Best to Our Blue Ribbon Test
Arts and Entertainment
February 22, 2025
From: San Diego County FairCELEBRATING CREATIVITY
Put Your Best to Our Blue Ribbon Test!
Here at the San Diego County Fair, we have a competition for just about everything and everyone!
Taking part in a Fair competition is a grand tradition. Way back in 1880, at the very first San Diego County Fair, a group of local farmers gathered for some friendly competition. These competitions were founded on local crops - and the food, fiber, and culinary creations that came from these crops. Judges answered the pressing questions of the day: Who grew the sweetest oranges? Who baked the flakiest pie crust? Who crafted the prettiest quilts?
The Fair has evolved and grown, but these traditions - draped in coveted ribbons - remain at the heart of what we do every year at the Fair. Today, our Competitive Exhibits program reflects the agriculture, hobbies, interests, talents, and industry of our diverse San Diego communities.
Now is your chance to be part of a fun and storied history by entering a competition in the 2025 San Diego County Fair!
DESIGN IN WOOD
This international exhibition of fine woodworking is presented in partnership with the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association. Entries include furniture, models, musical instruments, clocks and other woodworking creations. Prizes include cash awards and ribbons.
FINE ART
The Exhibition of Fine Art is a highly competitive and extremely popular juried show featuring both 2-D and 3-D entries. Artwork includes many variations of drawing, painting, mixed media, sculptures, mosaics, ceramics and more.
FLOWER SHOW
Do you grow beautiful blooms and plants? Enter your specimen blooms and floral designs in this colorful exhibition with separate divisions for beginners, amateurs and professionals.
GARDEN SHOW
Show off your green thumb and win cash awards and special recognition ribbons in the Paul Ecke Jr. Garden Show featuring competitions for large-scale Landscape Displays and more compact Container Plants. This exhibit has divisions for professionals, amateurs, garden clubs and students.
GEMS, MINERALS & JEWELRY
Collectors, rockhounds, gemologists and jewelry designers enter dazzling rough and faceted gemstones, mineral specimens, lapidary work, fossils and jewelry in this sparkling competition.
HOME ARTS & HOBBIES
Cooks, crafters and collectors can shine in this celebration of home arts that includes hand-crafted quilts, collections, table settings, miniatures & models, decorative arts & crafts, needle art, sewing, weaving & felting, preserved foods, home made wine and baked goods.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Established in 1947, this prestigious International Exhibition of Photography awards more than $23,000 in cash and prizes for 35 classes, making it one of the largest and longest-running competitions in the United States. New this year is a Youth Division for photographers age 13-17 years old.
STUDENT SHOWCASE
San Diego County teachers are engaging students in amazing projects! Student Showcase is an exhibit where teachers enter their students’ work-gaining students’ exposure, credibility, awards, recognition and free admission to the Fair!