Fair offers chance to share arts, crafts

The Yuma County Fair gives Yuma-area residents an opportunity to share the arts or crafts they have created with a large audience.

“They get their art in front of a lot of people and get a lot of feedback,” said Hunter, who oversees the Arts, Crafts and Hobbies area inside the Theater Building.

“Literally thousands of people walk through every day, and it is nice to show your friends and family.”

There will be hundreds of Yuma-area artists at the fair this year displaying their creations. Entries will include floral arrangements, quilts, ceramics, paintings, drawings, figurines and many other hand-made items.

“We have everything,” Hunter said. “It is incredible. Every year I think I have seen it all and something new comes in. We don't turn anything down. If it is any sort of a craft or hobby, we take it.”

A section of the building will be set aside to display artwork created by area students.

“I encourage parents to get their kids to make something and put it in the fair,” Hunter said. “It doesn't really make a difference what it is. We will take just about everything. They will get it judged and get a ribbon. Everybody gets an award of some sort.”

Hunter received a blue ribbon when he was just 5 years old and still remembers it fondly decades later.

“I put something in the fair, and I won first place. I was just so tickled. I never forgot that.”

The artists enjoy the opportunity to view each other's work, Hunter said.

“Most of the people who bring stuff in spend a little bit of time looking around at everybody else's work, especially once the fair gets going and the art is displayed properly.”

Hunter also enjoys admiring the art created by local artists.

“I think it is neat to see the talent that is right here in Yuma. We have tremendous artists here, and boy, some of our paintings are as good as anything you see over in the Fine Arts Building!”

Hunter invites all fairgoers to come and see the exhibits for themselves.

“It is a nice opportunity for people. The fair is kind of the one thing every year that brings us all together.”