What the Harvey County Free Fair Is
The Harvey County Free Fair is an 11-day county fair at the Harvey County Fairgrounds in Newton, run by Harvey County Extension. The 2026 fair was the 138th and ran July 30 to August 9. The first week belongs to 4-H, FFA and open class exhibitors, with livestock shows, project judging, the youth livestock sale and Saddle Club rodeo nights. The second week turns to the community: carnival, food trucks, concerts, a parade and the demolition derby.
Who Can Enter
- All 4-H and Open Class entries, static and livestock, are made online through FairEntry. All 4-H entries were due July 17.
- Only Harvey County 4-H members and qualified FFA members may show livestock in the ring. Open Class accepts entries from outside Harvey County.
- 4-H age divisions are Junior (7-9), Intermediate (10-13) and Senior (14-18), by age as of January 1.
- Entry fees are generally not charged unless a division notes one. Each exhibitor is generally limited to two exhibits per class.
4-H divisions run from beef, sheep, swine, goats, dairy, horse, rabbits and poultry to photography, woodworking, foods, sewing, robotics, welding, rocketry and more.
The 2026 Schedule
| Day | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Thu., July 30 | Sheep, goat, rabbit, poultry and swine check-in; food, sewing and robotics judging |
| Fri., July 31 | Exhibit check-in; market beef weigh-in; poultry show 12:30 p.m.; rabbit show 2 p.m.; foods silent auction 4-8 p.m.; swine judging 5:30 p.m.; Newton Saddle Club Rodeo 8 p.m. |
| Sat., Aug. 1 | Ag Fest 9-11 a.m.; pedal pull and turtle races at Athletic Park; bucket calf show 2:30 p.m.; fashion revue 4:30 p.m.; sheep and meat goat shows 5 p.m.; rodeo 8 p.m. |
| Sun., Aug. 2 | Farm Bureau breakfast 8 a.m.; dairy shows 8:30 a.m.; beef show 9 a.m. |
| Mon., Aug. 3 | Barnyard Olympics 1 p.m.; Round Robin showmanship 4:30 p.m.; watermelon feed 6 p.m.; 4-H/FFA Livestock and Champion Food Auction 7 p.m. |
| Aug. 6-9 | Carnival 6-10 p.m. daily; food trucks and concerts Thursday and Friday (7:30 p.m., bring a lawn chair) |
| Sat., Aug. 8 | Market in the Park 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; parade on West First Street 5:30 p.m.; Bulls and Barrels 8 p.m. |
| Sun., Aug. 9 | Demo Derby 6:30 p.m.; carnival 6-9 p.m. |
The Livestock Sale and What Exhibitors Get
Each 4-H or FFA member may sell one animal or food item at the Monday-night auction. Only market-class animals sell, with minimums of 1,000 pounds for steers, 220 for market swine, 100 for market lambs (75 for hair sheep) and 60 for market goats. Sale fees were sponsored in 2026. Youth checks begin August 24, and prize money is paid after the fair. The Round Robin showmanship contest runs Monday afternoon before the sale.
Where
Harvey County Fairgrounds, 800 West 1st, Newton, KS 67114. Set-up for 4-H and livestock barn starts Wednesday, July 29 at 6 p.m.
Questions
Is the fair free?
Call the Extension Office for gate, carnival and event prices.
Can adults enter?
Yes, in Open Class, including people from outside the county.
Who do I call?
Harvey County Extension at 316-284-6930.
Official Links
- 2026 Harvey County Fair Book: rules, divisions, schedule and sale
- harveycountyfair.com
Kansas County Fairs: The Essentials
Kansas county fairs are community partnerships. The fair board or association manages the facilities and open class, while Extension staff run the 4-H division under state 4-H policy. Fairs run across the state through the summer, starting in late June, and the Kansas Fairs and Festivals Association keeps a list of them.
Examples
Mitchell County's 2024 book paid open class blue $2.00, red $1.50 and white $1.00, and 4-H blue $2.50, red $2.00 and white $1.75. Sedgwick County took entries online, with livestock due May 31 and most static entries due June 28. Scott County's 2026 book requires YQCA training for 4-H animal projects. Deadlines differ by county, so read your fair book early.
State fair
The Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson runs September 11-20 in 2026. 4-H exhibitors must be enrolled, have shown in that division at their local fair, and generally earn a purple ribbon. Beef, sheep, swine and meat goat entries must be blue ribbon quality.
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Harvey County 4-H Swine Show
Swine check in and weigh in the evening before; the judging at 5:30 PM Friday allows three breeding gilts and three market hogs per exhibitor, with market hogs needing 220 pounds to sell. Held each year; the most recent date was 2026-07-31.
800 West 1st, Newton, KS 67114 Official event details - Harvey County 4-H and FFA Poultry Show
Poultry entries check in Thursday evening or Friday morning and are judged at 12:30 PM Friday, followed by a champion drive in the livestock show arena. Held each year; the most recent date was 2026-07-31.
800 West 1st, Newton, KS 67114 Official event details - Harvey County 4-H Rabbit Show
Rabbits check in Thursday evening and are judged at 2 PM Friday, with a champion drive in the livestock show arena; each exhibitor is limited to twelve entries. Held each year; the most recent date was 2026-07-31.
800 West 1st, Newton, KS 67114 Official event details - Harvey County 4-H and Open Market Beef Show
Market and breeding beef are judged on Sunday morning at the Newton fairgrounds; exhibitors are limited to five head and market steers must weigh at least 1,000 pounds to sell. Held each year; the most recent date was 2026-08-02.
- Harvey County 4-H and Open Dairy Cattle Show
Dairy cattle check in Saturday at 11 AM and are judged Sunday morning, followed by the dairy goat show, at the Harvey County Fairgrounds in Newton. Held each year; the most recent date was 2026-08-02.
800 West 1st, Newton, KS 67114 Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.