What the Ag Expo Is
The Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo is the district's big summer showcase, run by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service 4-H program. Its tagline is "Sew it! Grow it! Show it!" Over one weekend, 4-H members bring livestock, rabbits, poultry and indoor exhibits to the Soldotna Sports Center Ice Arena, compete in shows, and sell their market animals in the Junior Market Livestock (JML) auction. The public is invited to watch, shop with vendors, and bid.
The 2026 Expo ran July 24 to 26. Public hours were Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission was $4 per day or $6 for a weekend pass, and children 5 and under were free.
Ways to Take Part
| Way to take part | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Livestock shows | Small stock (rabbits and poultry) are judged in pens on Thursday evening and shown in showmanship on Friday morning; large livestock (hogs, sheep, goats, beef) are shown Friday at 11 a.m. |
| Junior Market Livestock auction | Members sell market animals to bidders on Saturday afternoon; proceeds go to the youth who raised the animal. |
| Exhibit Hall | Indoor 4-H projects. Projects must have been enrolled since June 15 or have a goal card, and the exhibitor brings a Six Things Learned sheet or Goal Card signed by the Exhibit Hall superintendent. |
| Round Robin and Celebrity Showmanship | Round Robin showmanship is Friday at 5 p.m.; Celebrity Showmanship is Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Community classes and Kids' Corner | Open to the public: "Cowboy Ethics" (Friday), "All Things Compost" (Saturday), "Livestock Nutrition" (Sunday), plus Kids' Corner crafts and a petting zoo. |
How It Works: The Timeline
Wednesday, July 22
Work day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., to set up the exhibit hall, building and arena. Required for all JML members.
Thursday, July 23
Livestock check-in 12 to 4 p.m. and exhibit hall check-in 12 to 5 p.m. Check livestock in first, then the Exhibit Hall team, and do not go to exhibit judges before checking in. Small stock conformation judging in pens is at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 24
Small stock showmanship at 9 a.m. (rabbit and poultry, cloverbud through senior), large livestock shows at 11 a.m., the "Cowboy Ethics" class at 2 p.m., Round Robin at 5 p.m., and auction setup at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 25
Auction setup and decorating at 9 a.m., buyer check-in and preview at noon (stay with your animal to talk with bidders), bidder brunch and group photos at 1 p.m. (wear show whites), and the JML auction at 2 p.m. The compost class is at 4 p.m.
Sunday, July 26
Petting zoo 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Celebrity Showmanship 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the livestock nutrition class and Kids' Corner at 2 p.m. The venue closes at 4 p.m. for load-out, exhibit pickup and cleanup, with a mandatory final barn meeting at 7 p.m.
Rules Exhibitors Should Know
- Barn meetings and barn duty (two-hour slots) are mandatory for every exhibiting member.
- $25 is docked from a JML member's check for each missed barn meeting and for not helping with cleanup.
- Feed at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., no exceptions.
- Late exhibits may be judged as Exhibit Only and are not eligible for awards, so arrive at least 30 minutes before check-in closes at 4:30 p.m.
- JML members must bring a buyer's gift.
After the Auction
Large USDA animals are hauled north at 4 p.m. Sunday; other large animals go home with the member until a private slaughter Monday in Sterling. Rabbits and poultry sold at auction are slaughtered on the designated day after Expo.
For a sense of scale, the 2024 JML auction sold nearly 50 animals, including a grand champion steer that went for more than $10,000 before add-ons and a community-service turkey that raised $800 plus $565 in add-ons for the Kenai Peninsula Local Food Connection. Add-ons are extra donations from bidders and businesses on top of the winning bid.
Where
Soldotna Sports Center Ice Arena in Soldotna. Events use the arena, exhibit hall, barn and livestock pens, and a classroom. Camping for Kenai Peninsula 4-H families is behind the Sports Center, and livestock trailers park in the main lot.
Questions
Who gets the auction money?
The youth who raised the animal. Exceptions are animals donated to a cause, such as the community-service turkey.
Who do I ask about disability accommodations?
Cassandra Rankin, 907-262-5824, at least five business days ahead.
Official Links
- Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Ag Expo page
- 2026 Expo poster
- 2026 Expo packet for families
- Peninsula Clarion: 2024 auction coverage
UAF Cooperative Extension in Alaska: The Essentials
The UAF Cooperative Extension Service has provided research-based, practical education to Alaskans since 1930 and serves about 50,000 Alaskans a year. Faculty and staff work in 11 locations: Anchorage, Bethel, Delta Junction, Dillingham, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kodiak, Nome, Palmer, Sitka and Soldotna, per the UAF catalog. Major issue areas include food safety and security, natural resources, and youth, families and communities.
4-H
Alaska 4-H runs in ten districts. Participation runs from age 5 through 19, with age figured on or before August 15. Cloverbuds cannot enroll in large animal projects, and fair participation is optional, per the procedure guidelines. Fee waivers are available through your district.
Livestock
Auction registration and meetings are set by district. The Mat-Su 2026 calendar had an April 14 auction registration deadline, and missing it meant no auction that year, per the district calendar.
Next steps
Call the state office in Fairbanks at 907-474-5211 (877-520-5211 toll-free in Alaska) to find your district.
Dates and fees change each year.
Read the full guide: UAF Cooperative Extension in Alaska: Offices, 4-H and Help for Producers
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Kenai Peninsula State Fair
A three-day fair at the Ninilchik fairgrounds with a rodeo, pig races, an educational farm for kids and over 800 community entries in agriculture, baking and crafts. The most recent fair ran Aug. 14 to 16, 2026.
- Ag Field Day at Ninilchik
Division of Agriculture field day run alongside the Ninilchik fair, at North Fork Road and Lescher Road near Anchor Point, with a loan officer and land specialist on hand. Held each year; the most recent date was Aug. 14, 2026.
Ninilchik, AK | Organizer: Alaska Division of Agriculture Official event details - Delta Harvest Wrap-Up
Held each year after harvest; the most recent was Nov. 20, 2025, a dinner prepared by the Delta Greely culinary class with talks on soil health, small grain cultivars and weed management.
1696 N. Clearwater Ave, Delta Junction, AK | Organizer: UAF Cooperative Extension Service Official event details - Mat-Su 4-H Mandatory Livestock Information Meeting at Palmer High
Fourth of four required spring meetings where Mat-Su 4-H and FFA families learn market-livestock rules before the fair, held in the Palmer High School ag building. Held each year; the 2026 session was March 19.
Palmer, AK | Organizer: UAF Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Mat-Su Copper River District Official event details - Mat-Su 4-H Livestock Rally Days
Large-livestock weigh-in, paperwork and small-livestock sign-ups for Mat-Su Copper River 4-H members heading to the Alaska State Fair; an alternate session ran June 5 at the Palmer High ag building. Held each year.
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.