Brantly Poling with his feeder heifer during the 2023 Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase. The 2024 Showcase is this week at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells. (Photo Provided)

MINERAL WELLS — The Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase will be held from today through Saturday at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells.

The Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase is open to the public today through Friday from 3-9 p.m. and Saturday will feature the Junior Livestock Sale at 12 p.m. and a concert at 7 p.m. by Sour Mash String Band. Craft and food vendors will be on site all week.

The Showcase provides an opportunity for 4-H and FFA members to complete and exhibit their projects. Family-friendly events are scheduled today through Saturday.

“We have local food vendors on site all week from Mountain State Barbecue, Dips & Dawgs, D’Paulo’s Pizza, Zul’s Frozen Lemonade, and Sycamore Sweets,” said Lindsey Boso, 4-H program assistant. “Many of our food vendors are 4-H alumni and volunteers.

“We also have Toys for Tots sponsoring a fun Karaoke night (today) after the goat and sheep show, Plan B concert on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. sponsored by BC Builders LLC. On Friday we have inflatables sponsored by Fordyce Livestock, pedal tractor pulls sponsored by the Bargeloh Family, Cow Patty Bingo, Austin Shawver Master Showman, and new this year is the Old Goat Show, a fun, open show for adults 22 and older. Saturday after the livestock sale the Sour Mash String Band will play at 7 p.m.”

Mykaela Staats with her Grand Champion awards from 2022. This week is the Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase from today through Saturday at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells. The horse show returns this year as it was not held in 2023. (Photo Provided)

In addition to featured entertainment, there will be activities throughout the week for kids including a pet parade sponsored by Warner Kia, a bicycle rodeo, a Dark Side Robotics presentation, and a presentation from the Yo-Yo Elite Baton Twirlers. There will be an antique tractor show, Alpaca Run Farm with a petting zoo, and a craft show all week with handmade crafts, sublimation pieces, sewn products, Amish furniture, wooden crafts and more.

The public can shop the craft show today through Friday from 3-9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Craft vendors include 9320 Custom Designs, Broken Wheel Tack, Paparazzi, Crafty Creations, Redline Customz, Layne & Lai Handmade, Sewn Faithfully, Pawstries & Pretties, and Gibboney’s Bakery.

During the week 4-H and FFA members will showcase their livestock. Livestock shows will kick off tonight at 6 p.m. with goat and sheep, then Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. is the poultry show and that evening at 6 p.m. is the swine show. Thursday morning at 9 a.m. is the rabbit show, and at 6 p.m. is the beef show. Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. is the 4-H and FFA horse show.

“We appreciate the local support and all the hard work from our volunteers and 4-H and FFA members and their families to get this event ready,” said JJ Barrett, Agriculture Extension Agent. “It takes a lot of work, and I hope the community comes out and supports these kids.”

There will be 4-H and CEOS (Community Education Outreach Service) exhibits on display all week in the Assembly Hall at the 4-H Camp, and open shows for photography, art, and more.

Laekyn McLaughlin thanked her buyer WVU Medicine who donated the feeder steer back after the sale during last year’s livestock sale. This week is the Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase from today through Saturday. The livestock sale is Saturday. (Photo Provided)

“We appreciate our supporters who make these events possible for the community members, and all of the volunteers who work so hard to make sure this event is a success,” said Jodi Smith, 4-H Extension Agent.

Members of the 4-H and FFA will auction their animals at the Wood County Junior Livestock Sale on Saturday at noon.

Business owners and other leaders of the community are encouraged to support youth by purchasing livestock. Purchases are tax deductible, and donors can bid in person, by proxy, or contribute to the Buyers’ Club – a pool of funds that will be used to purchase youth livestock during the sale. For more questions about how you can support the Youth Livestock Sale, contact the WVU Extension office at 304-424-1960.

“We are so appreciative of all our buyers in the community. So many businesses and individuals support the kids at this event. A lot of the money raised at the livestock sale is used by the kids to continue to fund their livestock projects and to pay for training and education beyond high school,” said Jody Lindsey, president of the Wood County Junior Livestock Committee.

Local non-profit youth organizations will be collecting $3 per person at the gate (today-Saturday) and 8 and under are free. Proceeds from the donations will support the 4-H, FFA and the youth non-profit organization of the day.

The 2024 Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase will feature a number of still projects where 4-H, FFA, CEOS and community members will exhibit projects for judging. Open exhibit categories for youth include art, photography, and gardening, and adult categories include arts and crafts, photography, quilting, sewing, canned goods, and gardening. (Photo Provided)

4-H is a program of WVU Extension and is America’s largest youth development organization, empowering children with skills which will last a lifetime. FFA is a program of Wood County Schools and prepares members for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. CEOS is a program of WVU Extension and is one of the largest educational organizations in the nation.

For more information about The Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase or about the 4-H and CEOS programs, please contact the Wood County WVU Extension Office at (304) 424-1960 or join the Facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/WoodCoShowcase.

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TODAY

* 8 a.m.: ALL Livestock Pictures

Kaelyn Clark in the ring at the swine show during the Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase in 2023. This year’s Showcase will be this week at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells. (Photo Provided)

* 9 a.m.: 4-H/CEOS/Open Exhibit Judging

* 2 p.m.: Livestock Judging Contest

* 2:30 p.m.: 4-H Pet Show Sponsored By Warner Kia

* 3 p.m.: Exhibits Open to the Public

* 6 p.m.: 4-H & FFA Goat Show (Show Barn); 4-H & FFA Sheep Show (Show Barn); After Show Karaoke with Toys for Tots (Show Barn)

4-H and FFA members show their lambs during the Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase in 2023. This year’s showcase is this week with various animal showings and judging throughout the week. (Photo Provided)

WEDNESDAY

* 9 a.m.: 4-H & FFA Poultry Show (Barn)

* 2 p.m.: Bicycle Rodeo (Pavilion)

* 3 p.m.: Dark Side Robotics Presentation (Pav.); Exhibits Open to the Public

* 6 p.m.: 4-H & FFA Swine Show (Show Barn)

* 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Plan B concert sponsored by BC Builders LLC.

THURSDAY

* 9 a.m.: 4-H & FFA Rabbit Show (Show Barn)

* 2 p.m.: Livestock Skill-A-Thon (Barn)

* 3 p.m.: Exhibits Open to the Public

* 4 p.m.: Yo-Yo Elite Baton Twirler Presentation

* 6 p.m.: 4-H & FFA Beef Show (Show Barn)

FRIDAY

* 8:30 a.m.: 4-H & FFA Horse Show (Horse Arena)

* 12-6 p.m.: Inflatables sponsored by Fordyce Livestock

* 2 p.m.: Pedal Tractor Pulls (Pavilion)

* 3 p.m.: Exhibits Open to the Public

* 4 p.m.: Cow Patty Bingo (Show Barn)

* 5 p.m.: Austin Shawver Master Showman

* 7 p.m.: Livestock Cookout (Barn)

* 7:30 p.m.: The Old Goat Show (Old Timers)

* 8:30 p.m.: Ag Olympics

SATURDAY

* 11 a.m.: 4-H & FFA Livestock Awards

* 12 p.m.: 4-H & FFA Junior Livestock Sale

* 9-11 a.m.: CEOS Project Checkout

* 5 p.m.: 4-H Still Project Checkout

* 7-9 p.m.: Sour Mash String Band concert

* 10 p.m.: Livestock Project Checkout

Wood County 4-H and FFA Livestock Sale during the 2023 Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase. The showcase is happening this week at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells. This year’s 4-H & FFA Junior Livestock Sale will be 12 p.m. Saturday. (Photo Provided)