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4-H in San Mateo & San Francisco Counties

Arts, Crafts and Creative Projects Expo

The event allows members to showcase their work in five different categories. Members may enter in one or more categories, and the item must be related to a 4-H project. You may enter no more than 2 entries per category. Like the San Mateo County Fair, you may drop off items, or have a representative drop off the items for you. You do not have to stay, but items MUST BE PICKED up by the end of the event.  Items must have been made since the beginning of this 4-H program year (July 1, 2024). See below or the Crafts Information Sheet for more information on registration, rules and regulations.

DATE:  April 26, 2025

LOCATION: San Mateo County Office of Education

EVENT SCHEDULE:  

10:00 - 10:30 am - Check-in

11:00 am - Evaluation begins

1:00 pm - Awards and Pick-Up


Contact: Angela Apple, anginsanfran2@gmail.com

Help Wanted!

4-H youth and adults are needed to help with the event as registrars, runners, tabulators, and set-up/take-down volunteers.  Sign up here or contact anginsanfran2@gmail.com or tnypham@ucanr.edu.

General Information

Eligibility:

Any 4-H member. Participant does not need to be in a 4-H Arts & Crafts project to enter, but the item(s) must be related to a 4-H project.

Categories - What To Enter:

1. Needlework
Example projects:

  • Knitted accessories – scarves, purses
  • Embroidered accessories
  • Sewn accessories – purses, scarves, stuffed animals, pillows
  • Quilts

2. Hobby Crafts
Example projects:

  • Jewelry making, beading
  • Leathercrafts
  • Paper crafts
  • Woodworking
  • Duct Tape Creations (non-fashion)
  • Ceramics
  • Lego Creations

3. Project Display Boards
 

Posters should be up to 22” x 28”, boards should be up to 36” x 48”. Sorry no Audio/Visual displays. Posters should illustrate a single theme or idea and should include some indication of learning experience by exhibitor.

Example projects:

4-H Million TreesBee KeepingDramaTV Production
AstronomyBeginning 4-HGardeningVet Science
AutomotiveCommunity ServiceHiking/GeocachingWeb Design

4. Photography

All entries must be mounted, matted, or framed. Photographs must be mounted on photo mat boards or framed WITHOUT glass.  Photo size cannot exceed 8” x 10”.

5. Visual Arts

All works must be mounted or framed, no loose works on paper. Maximum size: 2’x 2’.

Example projects:

  • Paintings
  • Drawings
  • Etchings

Entry Information

Online Entry: Deadline April 19, 2024 at 5:00 PM

Arts & Crafts Expo Registration

Rules and Regulations

You may enter no more than 2 entries per category.

  1. All items must be completed as shown on the entry form by the participant. You must describe the skills used and what parts were done by others; ie. a glazed bowl, you designed and formed it, but the glazing and firing was done by an adult.
  2. The Danish System of judging will be used. Items will be judged against a set of standards, not against each other.
  3. Articles must have been made since the beginning of the current 4-H year (July 1, 2024).
  4. Each item must be registered separately by April 19, 2025 and are to be submitted to the Registration table the day of the Life Skills Festival and Field Day (April 26, 2025) between 10:00 and 10:30 am.
  5. All items must be discreetly marked with the participants name and age. You MUST complete the explanation of what you did to create your project on the registration form.
  6. Participant does NOT have to be present during the Expo. You or your representative may drop off the item at the registration table and they all items must be picked up at the end of the Expo.  There is no storage for leftover items.