What the Bernalillo County 4-H Fair Is
The Bernalillo County 4-H Fair is the county youth fair, presented by the Bernalillo County 4-H Council at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds in Albuquerque. The 2026 fair ran July 24 through August 1. Members show livestock, small animals, dogs and horses, enter non-livestock projects in the Youth Hall, compete in a speech contest, and finish the week with an animal sale.
Who Can Enter
Exhibitors must be enrolled Bernalillo County 4-H members, enrolled in the project by May 1. Any 4-H member may enter county-only open classes without a project. Ages are set as of January 1: Novice is age 8 and in 3rd grade or ages 9 to 11, Junior is age 11 and in 6th grade or ages 12 to 13, and Senior is age 13 and in 8th grade or ages 14 to 19. Cloverbud and Exploration Age exhibitors take part for participation ribbons. Market beef, sheep, goats and hogs must be tagged by the Extension Agent or Fair Board on the scheduled date or they cannot show or sell.
How It Works: The Timeline
- May 1: project enrollment deadline.
- July 8: all entries due through FairEntry.com, one name per entry.
- Friday, July 24: Youth Hall drop-off 2 to 4 p.m. in Manuel Lujan C.
- Saturday, July 25: dog show 9 a.m.; Youth Hall exhibits judged; small animal check-in 1 to 5 p.m.
- Sunday, July 26: large animal check-in 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (dairy cattle, cattle, lambs, swine, goats); show meeting 3 p.m.; weigh-ins from 4:30 p.m.
- Monday, July 27: rabbit, poultry and cavy shows.
- Tuesday, July 28: horse show at 9 a.m.; 4-H Exploration Day 9 a.m. to noon open to youth and the public; market swine show 7 to 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 29: dairy goats 8 a.m., then goats, lambs, dairy cattle and beef shows.
- Thursday, July 30: round robin showmanship (large animals at 10 a.m., small animals at 1 p.m.), costume contest, awards.
- Friday, July 31: speech contest 9 a.m.; awards dinner 5 p.m.
- Saturday, August 1: auction registration 7:30 to 9 a.m.; auction starts 9 a.m.; packers arrive 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Lambs, market swine, steers, breeding beef, goats, dairy cattle | $7 per head, plus $5 admin and $5 stall per species |
| Rabbits, cavies, poultry | $5 per entry, plus $5 admin per species and $2 per cage |
| Dog | $5 per dog, plus $5 admin |
| Showmanship (all classes) | $20 flat |
| Youth Hall | $1 for one entry |
| Horse | $35 first horse, $5 per added class, $10 office fee |
| Speech contest | $1 |
Exploration Age entries are free. Parking is a flat $15 per family at fair entry. Pay by cash, check or money order to the Bernalillo County 4-H Fair Board; online payments carry a $5 card fee. All fees are nonrefundable.
Awards and the Sale
Livestock earn 1st through 6th place ribbons, and grand and reserve champions need at least three competitors in a class. Youth Hall numbered classes earn ribbons, and only first place in each age division moves on to the State Fair. County-only classes earn Danish ribbons.
Each exhibitor may sell a maximum of two items; breeding and dairy animals are not eligible. Slots are limited to 10 market beef, 12 swine, 12 lambs and 12 goats, plus 29 poultry, 7 rabbits and 3 cavies. A 7 percent assessment comes off all proceeds, and a sale meeting is mandatory with a $20 penalty for an unexcused absence.
Where
New Mexico State Fairgrounds, Albuquerque, entering at Gate 6 on the northwest corner at San Pedro and Lomas. Livestock are in the Junior Livestock Building, horses in the Indoor Horse Arena, small animals in the Small Animal Annex and Youth Hall exhibits in Manuel Lujan C.
Questions
Who do I call?
The Bernalillo County 4-H office at (505) 243-1386.
How do I enter?
Through FairEntry.com by July 8, 2026.
Can I enter an item shown at another county fair?
No. Youth Hall exhibits must have been completed within the previous two years and never shown at any county fair.
Official Links
New Mexico County Fairs: The Essentials
New Mexico county fairs are run through local NMSU Cooperative Extension offices, and every county publishes its own fair book. Check yours before buying an animal, because rules differ.
2026 dates
Chaves County ran July 24 to August 1, Eastern Navajo held its show July 23 and 24, Curry County ran August 10 to 15 and Socorro County ran August 31 to September 6, per their fair books.
What varies
Minimum market steer weights range from 800 pounds in Chaves to 950 in Curry County. Ownership deadlines, tagging, health papers and entry fees also differ, and Curry requires YQCA for production steers.
Sale and state fair
Each fair holds a junior livestock sale; Curry caps slots at 102 and lets each exhibitor sell one animal. Blue ribbon winners and qualifying livestock exhibitors can go on to the New Mexico State Fair at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque. Entry deadlines run from mid-June to August 1, so mark them early. Ask your Extension office for next year's fair book and deadlines.
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Bernalillo County Pressure Canner Testing
Home canners bring pressure canner gauges for testing in a Wednesday afternoon session. Held several times each year; the most recent session was November 11, 2026.
1510 Menaul Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107 | (505) 243-1386 | Organizer: Bernalillo County Extension Office Official event details - Successful Weed Control Class
Registration-required Extension class on controlling weeds on small acreages and home landscapes. Held each year; the most recent class was November 14, 2026.
Albuquerque, NM | Organizer: Bernalillo County Extension Office Official event details - Bachechi Speaker Series Animal Trailing
Morning talk on animal trailing at the Bachechi Open Space in Albuquerque's North Valley, part of an Extension speaker series. Held on the stated date, November 21, 2026.
Albuquerque, NM | Organizer: Bernalillo County Extension Office Official event details - Think Trees New Mexico Conference
Two-day tree and urban forestry conference in Albuquerque promoted by Bernalillo County Extension. Next dates are February 11 and 12, 2027.
Albuquerque, NM | Organizer: Bernalillo County Extension Office Official event details - Bernalillo County 4-H Fair
Nine-day youth fair for Bernalillo County 4-H members, run by the county fair board with entries paid through the Extension Office. Held each year; the most recent dates were July 24 to August 1, 2026.
Albuquerque, NM | Organizer: Bernalillo County Extension Office Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.