78th Polk County Youth Fair Takes Place Jan. 24-Feb. 1
by PAUL CATALA
photos by TOM HAGERTY (2024)
For the past year, youths from across the region have been working to get ready for what always proves to be one of the most exciting weeks of the year.
When the 2025 Polk County Youth Fair takes place, Jan. 24 to Feb. 1, those competitive activities will include shows for beef breeding, goat, lamb, market hog, poultry, rabbit, horticulture, horse and commercial heifers and events such as archery, family and consumer sciences, goat tying, ranch handling, and even whip-popping.
Now in its 78th year, the Polk County Youth Fair (PCYF) takes place in the Polk County Agriculture Complex, 1702 Hwy. 17 in Bartow. There, between 1,400 and 1,500 youth participants from ages 8 to 18 and between 5,000 and 10,000 visitors are expected to bring out their agriculture bests in front of the judges.
Polk County Youth Fair President Scott Fowler says it will mostly be fair-business-as-usual at the ag complex this year.
Now in his 16th year on the PCYF board, he says an old favorite will return to the PCYF — the dog show — at 2 p.m. on Jan. 27.
Fowler says the dog show, which was last held eight years ago, will include a range of dog-obedience events, such as Trick Dog, Farm Dog, Canine Good Citizen, and a High Point Award for the highest total points in Quiz, Showmanship, Canine Good Citizen, Trick Dog, Fetch and Farm Dog classes.
Fowler says the dog show will be coordinated by Chloe Peterson, the PCYF dog committee chair, and it’s just part of the work by “an army” that puts the PCYF together each year.
“We’re trying to make this a good experience for these kids,” says Fowler, who worked in the fair concession stand before becoming president.
“For the last 20 years, I’ve seen kids come up to that (concession stand) window – they can barely look over – and now they’re married and bringing their own children back,” says Fowler, who lives east of Fort Meade where he owned and operated Fowler’s Grocery store for 32 years.
Hog showing and judging is one of the key events each year at the PCYF. Fowler says this year, about 550 hogs are registered and hog weights have been adjusted for 2025. He says weights need to be 240 pounds and hogs weighing more than 300 pounds won’t be accepted.
Other judged youth show events will include chickens, horses, rabbits, and breeding animals such as commercial heifers and purebred animals. Goats and lambs also will be up for judging.
At the 2024 PCYF, 411 pigs and about 100 steers were sold.
For 2025, youths will bring between 400 and 450 hogs and 90 market steers to the fair, all of which will be up for sale. In 2024, $1.7 million was paid out in sales, up from $1.2 million in 2023.
Another financial aspect of the PCYF is its Premium Points. Premium Points convert into cash prizes youths receive based on the colors of the ribbons they’ve been awarded. Fowler says the PCYF board uses its own money and some money from the State of Florida for those cash awards but has held some fundraisers to help subsidize those amounts.
Last year, the most Premium Points in fair history were paid out.
“I hope these kids have the opportunity to enter, make some money, and go off to college or whatever field they choose,” says Fowler.
As for PCYF parking coordination, Fowler says there will be three shuttles going back and forth from Clower Street to the Ag Center during the bigger events.
On Clower Street north of the agriculture center, there’s property for camping sites, and just past that on the east side there is additional parking for more vehicles. Primitive camping sites will be available on Clower Street across from the railroad tracks on the left.
Fowler, PCYF staff and volunteers work hard each year to help produce “well-rounded, productive adults” through the PCYF.
“This has been my goal since being youth fair president, for us to be passionate about the kids because it is the ‘youth fair.’ It’s all about them.”
