Purpose
To provide recognition for those fairs and festivals that utilizes advertising and publicity programs and allows others to gain new ideas to promote their fairs.
Entry forms
All fairs and festivals entering the contest must complete an Official Entry form. Entry deadline is 8:00 pm January 3, 2025. Entries can be mailed or delivered to the INAF Committee at the INAF Convention in Indianapolis. Please attach one entry form along with each entry in the categories you are entering.
Awards
1st to 5th place ribbons will be awarded to the recipients in each category. Points will be awarded as follows for each category: 1st = 6 points 2nd= 5 points 3rd= 4 points 4th=3 points 5th=2 points
Best of Show recognition shall be presented to the fair or festival scoring the highest total points of all the categories combined. A Fair or Festival can only be recognized as a Best of Show winner for two consecutive years and then not be eligible for consideration the next year, unless there are no other entries for that class. Entries can still be entered for individual category awards. Monetary awards will be presented to the division winners courtesy of G.L. Berg Entertainment, Performing Artists & Speakers and Max Fitzpatrick in Memory of Glen Slabach. Banners and ribbons will be provided by Regalia Manufacturing and Fair Publishing House.
Judging
Members of the Communication Awards committee, as well as other qualified individuals will judge the entries. Judging of Websites will take place on Saturday morning, January 4th starting at 8:30am during the 2025 INAF convention. Scheduled judging times will be assigned as entries are received.
Entries in the Website, Photo Album, Advertising Material, Printed Promotional, and Collectible / Commemorative Item categories will be judged with the following criteria:
Motivational Audience and media used Informative
Indicative of creative excellence Appropriate to activities Utilize a central theme
Indicative of production excellence
Entries in the Photo and Related Photo Series will be judged with the following criteria:
Diversity General Appeal Originality
Creativity Quality and composition of photo(s) may be considered.
CATEGORIES
You may enter one item in each of the seven categories.
- PRINTED PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL (Single or Multiple Pages)
Limit 1 piece. Must be an item intended for distribution to the general public, free of charge. Must be directly related to the actual event and be mounted as outlined. Examples: program; fairgrounds map; placemats; event schedule; bumper stickers; etc. The fair or festival should not enter the same item as they did the previous year. Attach a copy of the official entry form on the back of the board.
- WEBSITE
Website will be reviewed for the fair or festival. Fair representative will have five minutes to discuss the website emphasizing timelines, audience, cost and other important aspects.
- PHOTO ALBUM
Photo Album: A maximum of 60 photos will be allowed per album. Photos can include a description of approximately 50 words explaining not only the picture, but the relationship to your fair or festival. There is no size limit to photos used in the album. Stickers and colorful paper to enhance your photos may be used.
Include a copy of the official entry form. A minimum of 2 photos per category must be included; however, there is no maximum number per category. The goal is to showcase your fair or festival and its activities. No newspaper articles will be allowed.
The Album should contain only the following categories:
1. Professional Board Activities 2. Grounds and Facilities 3. Organizational Activities
4. Media/Public Relations 5. Educational Activities 6. Program Activities
7. Youth Activities
Listed below are some general examples of ideas for your categories: (Please remember that these are just examples of ideas to get new fairs or festivals started. It is not meant to be an absolute rule that your album must follow)
~Professional Board Activities—Members at events like the Conventions, district meetings, or publicly speaking to another Group.
~Grounds and Facilities – Buildings, barns, track areas, or overhead pictures.
~Organizational Activities – Cooperative extension, volunteers, reserves, firefighters, or community businesses.
~Media/Public Relations – Newspaper, radio, TV, as well as coverage received as a result of public relations.
~Educational Activities – Any educational event like judging, extension lessons, tours, games, or home and family art lessons.
~Program Activities – Events that are planned during your fair or festival.
~Youth Activities – All 4-H activities, youth events, fun day, or anything that features youth.
- ADVERTISING MATERIAL
Limit 1 piece. Must be an item intended for advertising to the general public that the organization had to pay for or was credited for in kind sponsorship. Ex, advertisement in newspaper, coupons in mailers, or back of tickets. Must be directly related to the actual event and be mounted as outlined on page 3. Attach a copy of the official entry form on the back of the board.
5. EVENT PHOTO
Submit one photo depicting a scene from the fair or festival. (Examples: child with animal, horticulture exhibit, operation of antique farm machinery, FFA or 4-H exhibitors….) Limit 1 entry. Event Photo must be mounted on a black core board no larger than 11 x 14.
6. EVENT RELATED PHOTO SERIES
Submit a minimum of three photos and a maximum of five photos depicting a series of related scenes taken during the fair or festival, mounted on a single board. These photos should be a sequence of photos which tell a story. (Example: photo 1- fitting an animal for show, photo 2- showing the animal, photo 3-exhibitor with animal and prize) use your imagination, there are many photo opportunities during the event! Limit 1 entry.
7. COLLECTIBLE / COMMEMORATIVE ITEM
Limit 1 item. An item distributed for current year’s fair or festival. It can be an item that was sold or given away, must be directly related to the event. The item does not have to be dated. Examples: shirts; keychain; basket; plate; etc. Include a copy of the official entry form with the item. There are no mounting requirements for this category.
Mounting
All items (except photo album, single photo, and collectible / commemorative item) must be mounted on a single, black, 20 x 30 foam core board. Captions are optional and must be limited to 10 words per photo. The name of the Fair or Festival should appear on the front of the entry. The intent of these rules does not require professional mounting. All photos must be at least 4” x 6” in size and no more than 8” x 10”. Entries will be displayed during the convention.