What the Pinal County Fair Is
The Pinal County 4-H Fair fills the Pinal County Fairgrounds in Casa Grande each March. The most recent edition ran March 18 to 22, 2026, mainly in Building 2, the 4-H building, with the 4-H dog show on the grass area. It is run by Pinal County 4-H, part of University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, and it is built around building exhibits, live contests and club booths rather than a livestock auction.
Who Can Enter
- Youth ages 5 to 18, with age counted as of December 31 of the current 4-H year. Members may not have passed their 19th birthday by that date.
- Age groups: Cloverbuds 5-7, Juniors 8-10, Intermediates 11-13, Seniors 14-18.
- Members must be enrolled and have paid the enrollment fee, through the Pinal County 4-H Office or online at 4h.zsuite.org, by March 1.
- Non-4-H family members who want to enter the open portion must contact the Pinal Fairgrounds Office.
Divisions and Contests
Dog
Obedience (Division 145), Showmanship (146) and Agility (147). Dogs need current rabies and DHLP vaccination paperwork, and choke, prong and shock collars are prohibited.
Building exhibits
Aerospace, cake decorating, candy making, decorated confections, Cloverbuds, electric, entomology, family relations and human development, fibercrafts, food preparation and preservation, general crafts, geology, group exhibits, growing plants, home environment, industrial arts, miscellaneous and educational exhibits (science, technology, robotics, safety, animal science and leadership), photography, quilting and sewing. Each exhibitor is limited to 10 items per division.
Contests
- Family Quiz Bowl (teams of four), Wednesday 3:30 p.m.
- Public Speaking, Demonstration and Creed, Wednesday 4:30 p.m.
- LIVE Cake Decorating, Thursday 1:00 p.m., and LIVE Chopped, Thursday 4:30 p.m.
- Ag-Ventures, Friday, March 20, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- STEM Lego Challenge, Friday 2:00 p.m.; Trash to Treasure, Friday 4:00 p.m.; Fashion Revue, Friday 6:00 p.m.
- Nailed It! Challenge, Saturday 2:30 p.m.; Cupcake Wars, Saturday 4:00 p.m. (limited to 12 youth per division)
- Club booth decorating
Contestants check in at Building 2 about 15 minutes before their start time, and contests start on time without exceptions.
How It Works: The Timeline
- March 1: 4-H enrollment, building exhibit and contest entries (midnight, through ShoWorks at pinal4.fairwire.com) and club booth reservations are due.
- March 14 or 16: club booth setup (Fair Clean-Up Day March 14, 8 a.m. to noon, or March 16, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
- March 16: nonperishable exhibit receiving, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- March 17: perishable food receiving, 8 to 9 a.m.; judging starts at 9 a.m.
- March 18 to 22: fair days.
- March 22, 1 to 2 p.m., and March 23, 9 to 11 a.m.: exhibit release.
Exhibitors print their own building tags in ShoWorks; tags are not printed at the office or at the fair, and every exhibit needs an index card, which is part of the judging.
Judging, Awards and What You Get
Projects are judged by the Danish system, scored against set standards rather than against other exhibitors. Ribbons are purple (excellent), blue (good), red (average) and white (needs improvement). Points are purple 6, blue 3, red 2 and white 1. Champion Excellency Awards go to outstanding Junior and Senior exhibitors who show in at least two project areas, earn at least two blues in different areas, and earn one purple and at least 25 points. Club booths are scored on five criteria worth 20 points each, and the contests name first and second place winners in Junior and Senior groups.
Where
Pinal County Fairgrounds, 512 South 11 Mile Corner Road, Casa Grande.
Questions
Who do I call?
The Pinal County 4-H Office, 820 East Cottonwood Lane, #C, Casa Grande, at (520) 836-5221.
Can I take my exhibit home early?
Only with superintendent approval; removing items early means exclusion from the next year's fair.
What if my exhibit does not follow the project rules?
It may be tagged "for exhibit only" and not judged.
Official Links
- Pinal County 4-H Fair (UA Cooperative Extension)
- 2025-26 Exhibitor Handbook (PDF)
- Pinal County Fair event listing
Arizona County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows: The Essentials
Arizona youth shows run through county Extension offices, 4-H clubs and FFA chapters, and each show publishes its own rules. Dates run from January roundups to the State Fair in October.
Examples
The Arizona 4-H Stock Show and Roundup is set for January 30 and 31, 2027 in Tucson, with registration closing January 15. The Yavapai County Fair ran September 10 to 13, 2026 at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds. The Arizona State Fair ran October 1 to November 1, 2026, with its Sale of Champions on October 3.
Who can show
The State Fair says youth competitions are for ages 8 to 18. The Roundup uses Junior (8 to 10), Intermediate (11 to 13) and Senior (14 to 18) divisions.
Rules to check
Pima County asks members to complete Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance training and ties each animal to an ownership deadline, a tag and a weigh-in. Weights, tagging and sale rules differ by show.
Next steps
Ask your county Extension office for the premium book and entry dates before you buy an animal.
Read the full guide: Arizona County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Central Arizona Farmer Field Day
Annual morning field day for central Arizona growers run by the University of Arizona Pinal County agronomy program, with cotton, small grain and forage research results; set for November 18, 2026.
Casa Grande, AZ | 520-836-5221 | Organizer: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Official event details - Lost Dutchman Days Rodeo
Eight-event rodeo at the Apache Junction Rodeo Grounds with carnival, parade and mutton bustin', sanctioned by the Grand Canyon Professional Rodeo Association; the 62nd edition ran February 27 to March 1, 2026.
1590 E. Lost Dutchman Blvd., Apache Junction, AZ | Organizer: Lost Dutchman Days Committee Official event details - Pinal County 4-H Fair
Five-day 4-H fair at the Pinal County Fairgrounds, with an exhibitor handbook, club booths and project exhibits. The 2026 fair ran March 18-22.
11 Mile Corner, Casa Grande, AZ | 520-340-4815 | Organizer: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension - Pinal County Official event details - Arizona FFA Summit Conference - San Tan Valley
Pinal County stop of the Arizona FFA Summit Conference series, held September 14, 2026 at Combs High School in San Tan Valley.
San Tan Valley, AZ | Organizer: Arizona FFA Official event details - Arizona National Livestock Show
Billed as the largest livestock show in the Southwest, it draws youth exhibitors with about 2,500 cattle, horses, sheep, goats and swine; 2026 runs December 27-31.
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.