Landon Fordyce showed his market hog at the 2025 Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase Livestock Auction. The 2026 Showcase runs July 14-18 at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells. The Wood County Junior Livestock Sale on Saturday, July 18, at noon. (File Photo)

MINERAL WELLS – The Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase will be held from Tuesday to Saturday this week at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells.

The Showcase is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 3-9 p.m., with family-friendly events and commercial, craft and food vendors throughout the week. 4-H, CEOS, and open exhibits will be on display, and 4-H and FFA livestock shows are scheduled Tuesday through Friday.

Friday is “Kids Day” at the Showcase, featuring inflatables, pedal tractor pulls, the Wood County Youth Business Fair, the Austin Shawver Master Showman Competition and the Old Timers Show. The evening concludes with Sour Mash String Band live in concert from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at the Pavilion. On Saturday, the spotlight turns to local 4-H and FFA livestock exhibitors with the Junior Livestock Sale beginning at noon.

The Wood County Youth Business Fair, scheduled for 3-5 p.m. Friday, gives young entrepreneurs ages 5-21 an opportunity to showcase and sell their products. Shoppers will find 3D-printed items, handmade jewelry, cotton candy and sweet treats, gel polish press-on nails, painted canvas prints, crafts and more.

“The Youth Business Fair gives young people a chance to take an idea and turn it into something real,” said Jodi Smith, WVU Extension 4-H agent. “They have worked hard to create their products, and they are learning valuable skills along the way.

Marissa Hendershot showed her market steer at the 2025 Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase Livestock Auction. The 2026 Showcase runs July 14-18 at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells. The Wood County Junior Livestock Sale on Saturday, July 18, at noon. (File Photo)

“We hope the community will come out, meet these young entrepreneurs, and support their hard work.”

Members of 4-H and FFA will auction their livestock projects during the Wood County Junior Livestock Sale at noon on Saturday. Business owners, organizations and community members can support youth by purchasing livestock, bidding by proxy or contributing to the Buyers’ Club, a pool of funds used to purchase youth livestock during the sale.

“The Junior Livestock Sale is about so much more than selling an animal,” said J.J. Barrett, WVU Extension agriculture agent. “These youth invest months of hard work and responsibility into raising their livestock projects.

“Many use their earnings to help support college, trade school and other future goals. When the community supports the sale, they are investing directly in these young people and their futures.”

For more information about supporting the Junior Livestock Sale, contact the WVU Extension office at 304-424-1960.

Sophia Burgess sells her bookmarks and magnets at the Kids Business Market during the 2025 Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase. The 2026 Showcase runs July 14-18 at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells. The Wood County Youth Business Fair, scheduled Friday from 3–5 p.m., gives young entrepreneurs ages 5–21 an opportunity to showcase and sell their products. (File Photo)

Livestock shows begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday with the Goat and Sheep Show. The Poultry Show is at 9 a.m. Wednesday, followed by the Swine Show at 6 p.m. Thursday features the Rabbit Show at 9 a.m. and the Beef Show at 6 p.m. The 4-H and FFA Horse Show rounds out the week’s livestock shows at 8 a.m. Friday.

“We appreciate the tremendous support of our volunteers and 4-H and FFA families who make this event possible,” Barrett said. “We hope the community comes out to see the results of these kids’ hard work and supports them at the Junior Livestock Sale on Saturday.”

Local food vendors will be on site throughout the week.

“Rhododendron Ice Cream and Sycamore Sweets are owned and operated by Wood County 4-H alumni, and Zul’s Frozen Lemonade is operated by volunteers to raise funds for the 4-H program,” said Lindsey Boso, WVU Extension 4-H program assistant. “Friday is always a fun day for families, and we appreciate Fordyce Livestock for sponsoring the inflatables.”

4-H and CEOS (Community Educational Outreach Service) exhibits will be on display in the 4-H Camp Assembly Hall, along with open adult and youth competitions featuring photography, flowers, vegetables, eggs, art and more. Information about open competitions can be found at https://www.facebook.com/WoodCoShowcase. Youth exhibit check-in for 4-H and open contests is Monday, July 13, from 5-7 p.m.

Brayden Keeney’s project explains historical sewing equipment and patterns during the 2025 Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase. The 2026 Showcase begins Tuesday at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells. 4-H and CEOS (Community Educational Outreach Service) exhibits will be on display in the 4-H Camp Assembly Hall, along with open adult and youth competitions featuring photography, flowers, vegetables, eggs, art, and more. (File Photo)

Additional events are scheduled throughout the week, including a Produce Market sponsored by Riverhawk Farm at WVU Parkersburg at 3 p.m. Tuesday and Candy Bingo at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Several craft and commercial vendors will also be on site throughout the week. For a complete schedule, visit https://www.facebook.com/WoodCoShowcase.

Parkersburg South High School ROTC will collect $3 per person at the gate Tuesday through Saturday. Children ages 8 and younger are admitted free. Proceeds will support local 4-H, FFA and ROTC programs.

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

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

Audrey Kent washes her cow outside the cow stalls at the 2025 Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase. The 2026 Showcase begins Tuesday at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road in Mineral Wells. Various livestock will be shown throughout the event. (File Photo)