The 2026 Elizabethtown Fair will include a variety of contests. The fair will run from Monday to Saturday, Aug. 24 to 29, at the Elizabethtown Fairgrounds, 900 E. High St., Elizabethtown. To learn more about the fair, visit http://www.etownfair.com.

The Group Exhibits competition is open to any group, including youths, adults or both. Exhibitors may include families, as well as 4-H, FFA, school, Scouting, industrial, and commercial groups. First place will receive a cash prize. Entries must be tabletop exhibits with a maximum size of 4 by 10 by 6 feet and should provide the viewer with a better understanding of agriculture and/or agribusiness, either through their educational value or their promotion of a product. Each entry will be judged on how much it attracts attention, arouses interest, and conveys a message, as well as on design, workmanship, and originality.

All group exhibits must be either entered online or entered on a General Entry Form and mailed with an entry fee to The Elizabethtown Fair, P.O. Box 285, Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Entries must be postmarked by Saturday, Aug. 1. For information, contact Sally at 717-808-1397.

The fair will host its fourth annual baby race on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 5:30 p.m. The race is open to babies ages 6 to 12 months old who can crawl but cannot yet walk.

A parent or guardian and one other adult chaperone must escort the baby to the race mat. One adult chaperone will be positioned at each end of the mat, and the chaperones may use toys, bottles, binkies and other items to help encourage the baby to crawl. The adults may not move or reach beyond their designated area during the race.

The baby who crawls from one side of the mat to the other the fastest will receive a cash prize. If no babies have crossed the finish line after three minutes, the baby who is closest to the finish line will be declared the winner. Babies who walk at any time during the race will be disqualified.

In addition to the race, competitors may participate in a costume contest with a theme of "Barnyard Animals." A panel of judges will evaluate the entrants based on creativity, adherence to theme and overall presentation to choose the winners.

The Baby Race winner and the Baby Race Best Dressed winner will receive cash prizes. The contest is being sponsored by the Elizabethtown-Donegal Kiwanis Club and Craig Rothstein, State Farm Insurance agent.

To register, email the completed entry form to elizabethtownkiwanis@gmail.com. Registrations will also be accepted in the fair office on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 9 a.m. to noon. Walk-up registration will only be available if space permits. For more information, call Cortney at 570-412-3336.

The annual Talent Show will be held on Aug. 25 at 6:30 p.m. on the Kiwanis Stage. The contest is open to any amateur from the greater Elizabethtown area. No full bands are eligible to compete. The contest will have four divisions: Adult Amateurs, Youth Amateurs (up to and including age 18), Lip Sync, and Itty Bitty (under age 10).

Any type of talent is acceptable. Contestants will perform a two- to three-minute act. Each presentation must be fully staged with costumes, props, dancing, etc., when applicable.

All contestants must supply their own musical accompaniment for the song or dance to be performed; they may use a CD, an MP3 file, or a recording on a phone that has a Bluetooth connection. All lyrics and music will be used at the discretion of the contest officials.

No profanity or inappropriate actions or dress will be permitted. If an act is deemed inappropriate, the performance will be terminated immediately. Judging criteria will include musical ability (when applicable), choreography (when applicable), costuming, originality and creativity, stage presentation, effectiveness, and overall presentation. The decision of the judges is final. The top three winners will receive prize money.

Entry forms may be obtained from Gina Mariani at P.O. Box 292, Bainbridge, PA 17502, or in the Elizabethtown Fair Premium Book. All entries and entry fees must be mailed to Mariani. For an entry form or additional information, contact Mariani at 717-278-8484.