2026 New York State Fair Competitions
Competition rules and entry links located next to rule books for each department further down on this page.
In New York State, our competitive spirit is a big part of who we are – and few places is it more evident than at the New York State Fair. Each year, thousands of participants cater to their competitive side by entering in competitions spanning a full range of categories including culinary, fine arts, photography, livestock and more. From delicious desserts, champion cattle or historic antique tractors, the Fair hosts competitions for nearly every interest and age group. Whether it’s a premium cash prize, a coveted blue ribbon, or just good old-fashioned bragging rights at stake, we wish you the best of luck!
All Exhibitors entering a State Fair competition must have a State Financial System (SFS) number to process any potential premium payments. For details on how to register to get a SFS number, or to verify information for an existing account, please review the Agricultural Competition SFS Reference Guide or the Creative Arts SFS Reference Guide - coming soon.
- You can only enter a competition online by clicking the "Enter Online" link from those competitions below
- All entries must be received online before 11:59 p.m. on the specified competition deadline date
- All materials and dates are subject to change
- For Agricultural Competition questions, contact nysfairentrydepartment@agriculture.ny.gov
- For Creative Arts Competition questions, contact nysfcreativearts@agriculture.ny.gov or (315) 728-4328
Page Last Updated: May 19, 2026 | 12:30 p.m.