What the Uinta County Fair Is
The Uinta County Fair is Evanston's ten-day summer fair, held July 23 to August 1 in 2026. It combines a junior show for Uinta County 4-H and FFA members, an open class for everyone else, horse events, a junior rodeo, and big grandstand nights with the Demolition Derby, Monster Trucks and Medieval Jousting. The junior show ends with a market livestock sale where local buyers back the kids' projects.
Who Can Enter
- All exhibits must be pre-registered. Fair entries for 2026 were taken online through ShoWorks (uinta.fairwire.com) and were due Sunday, July 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
- Junior show exhibitors must be 4-H or FFA members in good standing in Uinta County. The exhibit must be made and owned by the exhibitor or a family member, and livestock exhibitors must be enrolled in and carrying that project for the current year.
- Livestock sale participants must be active 4-H or FFA members in good standing with a current-year project verified by the 4-H agent or FFA advisor.
- Quality Assurance training is required for market animals, and the certificate number is needed at entry. Exhibitors pay for the class.
Livestock Ownership and Tagging Deadlines
| Project | Owned and tagged by |
|---|---|
| Market beef | February 1 |
| Market sheep, goats and hogs | June 1 |
| Meat pen rabbits and poultry | June 15 |
RFID and scrapie tag numbers must be submitted online by the entry deadline or the entry is void. Lambs must be shorn within 30 days of the fair, and market animals must be fully healed from banding or castration before the health inspection.
How the Week Works
- Monday, July 20, 8:00 a.m. to Saturday, July 23, 7:00 a.m.: fairgrounds lockdown before the fair opens.
- Saturday, July 25: exhibit hall closed to the public for judging.
- Monday, July 27 weigh-ins: swine 2 to 4 p.m., lambs 4 to 5:30 p.m., beef 3 to 4:30 p.m., rabbits and poultry at 1 p.m. Confirm the goat weigh-in time with the fair office before you haul.
- Saturday, August 1: exhibits stay until release at 4:00 p.m. Sale animals must be fed, watered and bedded on the Friday and Saturday after the sale.
Show and Sale Rules That Matter
- Each exhibitor gets one pen per market species, holding up to two animals. The weigh-in weight is the sale weight, and animals cannot be swapped if one is underweight.
- Only animals with a red ribbon or better can sell, and all animals entered in the sale must sell. Grand and Reserve Champions must sell.
- Minimum weights: beef 1,050 lbs, hogs 200 lbs, lambs 100 lbs, goats 55 lbs, meat pen rabbits 3 lbs, meat pen chickens 3.5 lbs.
- Market goats must be non-bred does or wethers, owned and tagged by June 1, and slick shorn. Horns are allowed only in the Market Doe class.
- Exhibitors must show their own market animals, and random drug testing applies. A positive test forfeits premiums and means a ban from the fair.
- Dress: FFA members wear official FFA dress; 4-H members wear long sleeves, dark pants and boots or dress shoes.
Premiums, Fees and Scholarship
Premium money is paid on purple, blue, red and white ribbons in 4-H and FFA, and on blue, red and white in Open Class. Judging uses the Danish system. Premiums must be picked up in person by 4:00 p.m. one week after the fair ends. The sale charges a 4% commission, and sellers are paid after buyers' receipts are collected and thank-you letters reach the fair office by September 1. Market beef must go home and be fed back for 10 days after the fair. A Uinta County Fair scholarship for 4-H and FFA exhibitors is available through high school counselors or the fair office.
Where
Uinta County Fairgrounds, Evanston. Fair office: 122 Bear River Drive, P.O. Box 636, Evanston, WY 82930.
Questions
Can I sell a white-ribbon animal?
No. Only red ribbon or better animals sell.
Can I sell my animal privately?
No. Private treaty sales are prohibited.
Who do I call?
Fair Manager Natalie Cornia at the fair office, 307-783-0313.
Official Links
Wyoming County Fairs: The Essentials
Wyoming county fairs run mostly from late July into early August, and most 4-H and FFA divisions are run through the county UW Extension office. In 2026, Park County opened July 21-25, Albany County ran July 22 to August 1, Laramie County ran July 29 to August 8 and the Wyoming State Fair in Douglas ran August 11-15.
Examples
Teton County's 2026 entries were due July 1 at 11:59 pm with no late entries. Niobrara County's 4-H and FFA entries closed July 10. Sweetwater County charged a $25 late fee in 2024. Teton counts interview judging as 40 percent of the exhibit score.
Livestock
Ownership deadlines of February 1 for market beef and June 1 for many other species are common. Laramie County requires YQCA for livestock projects, and Teton requires tagging photos. Tags, weigh-in, minimum weights and sale rules differ by county, so read your fair book early.
Sale and premiums
Teton members may sell one animal per species and no more than two in total, and a white ribbon cannot sell. Niobrara charges 3 percent commission and requires a thank-you note delivered to the Extension office before payment.
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Wyoming Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Conference
Annual Young Farmers and Ranchers conference of the Wyoming Farm Bureau, scheduled for Evanston in January 2027.
Evanston, WY Official event details - Uinta County 4-H Horse Ride Night
Weekly Monday evening ride night where Uinta County 4-H horse members practice before the fair horse show. Held each Monday from May through mid-July; the most recent run began May 4, 2026.
Evanston, WY Official event details - Uinta County Fair Queen Contest
Spring contest to select the Uinta County Fair queen who represents the fair at rodeos and parades. Held each year; the most recent date was May 23, 2026.
Evanston, WY Official event details - Just 4 Fun Barrel Jackpot
Weekly Tuesday evening barrel racing jackpot for local riders at the Uinta County fairgrounds. Held each Tuesday in June and July; the most recent run began June 2, 2026.
Evanston, WY Official event details - Evanston Rodeo Series
Summer rodeo series in Evanston with evening performances on June 12-13, June 26-27 and July 10-11. Held each year; the most recent dates were June 12 to July 11, 2026.
Evanston, WY Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.