What the Clackamas County 4-H Fair Is
The Clackamas County Fair at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds and Event Center, 694 NE 4th Ave., Canby, is the showcase for Clackamas County 4-H. The 2026 edition ran August 18-22, with livestock shows Tuesday through Saturday. It is paired with the Canby Rodeo, and 4-H members also compete for a chance to go to the Oregon State Fair.
What Members Can Enter
- Livestock: beef, dairy cattle, dairy goats, fiber goats, meat goats, pygmy goats, llamas, sheep and swine.
- Small animals: poultry and pigeons, rabbits and cavies, the small animal barn, and cats at the Pet Fair (April 18).
- Dog and horse projects: the Dog Fair (July 11) and Horse Fair (July 6-12) are separate events with their own entries.
- HEARTH exhibits: a long list of static and performance projects including food, horticulture, performing arts, fashion revue (open to all 4-H members), cloverbuds, industrial arts, natural science, business and videography.
- Contests: herdsmanship, livestock master showmanship, small animal master showmanship, and basket raffle.
How Entering Works
- Fair entries for Dog, Horse and County Fair open May 13 and are submitted online in a multi-step process.
- Horse Fair entries close June 1 at 11:59 p.m.; Dog Fair and County Fair entries close June 11 at 11:59 p.m.
- Every animal exhibitor, including Cloverbuds, must submit an Animal Entry Form.
- Market animals (beef, goat, lamb, swine) need a health record, one per animal, tracking withdrawal times and place of origin. It must be brought to the fair.
- Every livestock animal shown displays a stall card.
- Missed a deadline or need to change an animal or project? A Waiver Request Application is available; incomplete ones are not processed.
Key Dates (2026 Edition)
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| April 1 | Junior Superintendent applications due |
| May 12 | Fair information Zoom meeting |
| May 13 | Entries open |
| June 1 | Horse Fair entries close |
| June 11 | Dog Fair and County Fair entries close; HEARTH Excel report forms due |
| August 18-22 | County Fair |
Awards and Excel Reports
Youth must complete the HEARTH Youth Excel report to be eligible for higher placings such as champion, for awards and for the State Fair. Adults in the club complete a separate Excel form so their youth qualify. Qualifying county exhibitors may apply for the Oregon State Fair. Volunteer hours in the hall count toward the 2027 Excel program. A sportsmanship expectations document covers fair and honest competition, courteous conduct and accepting results gracefully.
Junior Superintendents
Older members can apply to serve as Junior Superintendents. Applicants submit an application and read the position description first.
Gate Admission and Carnival
Gate tickets and presale carnival wristbands are sold online through etix.com. The fair's entertainment schedule and a talent search competition are also part of the week.
Questions
Is there an age limit?
None is published; Cloverbuds take part too.
Who do I call?
Clackamas County Fair and Event Center, 503-266-1136.
Official Links
Oregon County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows: The Essentials
Oregon county fairs are where most 4-H and FFA exhibitors show and sell market animals. Each fair has its own book, but a few patterns hold.
Timing
Northeast Oregon fairs cluster from late July into early September, per a regional byway listing. The 2026 Oregon State Fair ran August 28 to September 7 in Salem, per KPTV.
Rules to watch
Union County's 2026 fair book requires 4-H enrollment by February 1, YQCA training, 60 days of care for sheep, goats and swine, and 120 for steers. Only blue and red ribbon animals sell, with a 4 percent commission.
State Fair
At the state level, the Oregon State Fair 4-H handbook says market hogs, steers, goats, lambs, rabbits and chickens go home with the exhibitor rather than selling, and 4-H animals need a YQCA certificate at check-in, per the combined fair book.
Next steps
Get your county fair book from the Extension 4-H office and mark every deadline. Dates and weights change each year.
Read the full guide: Oregon County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Molalla Buckeroo
Molalla Buckeroo brings professional and community rodeo action to Molalla in Clackamas County. Held each year; the most recent dates posted were 2027-07-01 to 2027-07-04, and organizers may adjust them.
Molalla, OR Official event details - Dahlia Fest
Annual dahlia festival at a Canby flower farm, running through the late-summer bloom. Held each year; the most recent dates posted were 2027-07-31 to 2027-09-26, and organizers may adjust them.
Canby, OR Official event details - Philip Foster Farm Cider Squeeze
Historic farm apple pressing day at Philip Foster Farm in Eagle Creek. Held each year; the most recent dates posted were 2027-09-18, and organizers may adjust them.
Eagle Creek, OR Official event details - Molalla Heritage Apple Festival
Apple festival in Molalla tied to the Dibble House heritage site. Held each year; the most recent dates posted were 2027-09-18, and organizers may adjust them.
Molalla, OR Official event details - Clackamas County 4-H Horse Fair
Held each year; the most recent dates were July 6-12, 2026. A week of 4-H horse classes held ahead of the August county fair, run by Clackamas County 4-H volunteers and OSU Extension.
Canby, OR | Organizer: Clackamas County 4-H Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.