Local residents are being encouraged to showcase their talents during the Blue Ribbon Department competition at the 2026 Chattooga County Agricultural Fair.

The competition is open to Chattooga County residents as well as residents of surrounding Floyd, Gordon, Walker and Dade counties in Georgia and DeKalb and Cherokee counties in Alabama.

Depending on the category selected, as many as five divisions are available, including Youth, Open, Professional and Golden Age divisions. Participants are encouraged to carefully review the specific rules and regulations for the department they plan to enter.

Entries in Arts, Photography, Needlework, Food Preservation and Honey will be received Monday, August 24, from 2 until 6 p.m. A second receiving period for those categories will be held Tuesday, August 25, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Judging for Arts, Photography and Needlework is scheduled for Wednesday, August 26, from 9 a.m. until noon.

Entries for Horticulture and Agriculture will be received Wednesday from 1 until 6 p.m. On Thursday, August 27, horticulture entries consisting of same-day blooms only will be received from 8 until 10 a.m.

Judging for Horticulture, Agriculture and Food Preservation is scheduled Thursday from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The doors will be closed to the public while judging is underway.

Blue Ribbon entries will be available for pickup Monday, August 31, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Fair organizers note that receiving times are specific for each category, and items cannot be accepted outside the designated times. The Chattooga County Agricultural Center will also close one hour before the event ends each day.