Open Class Static Rules

Lancaster County Super Fair Participation

  • Anyone can participate in Open Class Departments listed here.
  • Residency in Lancaster County is not required.
  • Check age requirements within each section.

Open Class Registration Deadlines

Online registration is highly recommended. It will begins on July 1.

Open Static Entries: Due by midnight on Thursday, July 20

There are no entry fees for Open Class Static if entered by this date. However, Open Static entries will be charged a late entry fee of $1 per exhibit if entered after this date.

You can enter in person at the Sandhills Global Event Center office (Mon–Fri, 8am–4:30pm) at 4100 N. 84th Street, Lincoln NE 68507 Due to construction, the offices may be temporally relocated to Meeting Room A in the South Hall. Enter from Gate 3 and proceed south.

Only ONE EXHIBIT may be entered for each class number unless otherwise indicated. All articles made by hand, competing for premiums, must have been completed within the past 2 years unless otherwise indicated. Articles that have placed previously in Open Class are not eligible. Mailed exhibits will not be accepted.

Open Static Check-In & Parking
All Open Class Quilt Exhibitors:

Check-in Tuesday, July 29 from 1-6pm in Lancaster Room located inside the Meeting Center. Use Gate 3 off Havelock Avenue and park in Lot B3/B4 north of the Currency Pavilion.

All Other Open Class Static Exhibitors:

Check-in Tuesday, July 29 from 1-6pm in Agriculture Hall. Use Gate 1 off 84th Street and park in gravel Lot K. Proceed to south doors on west side of Agriculture Hall. If needed, temporary 20 minute unloading/loading available near doors — please move vehicle as soon as done actively unloading/loading. Open class exhibitors — please use the south two sets of doors indicated on map.

4-H/FFA exhibitors may also check-in their Open Static exhibits in Agriculture Hall during Static 4-H/FFA check-in on Tuesday, July 29 from 4–8pm.4-H exhibitors: please use the north three sets of doors indicated on map.

Static Exhibit Agriculture Hall Parking:
  • On other days of the fair, Lot K will be closed and used by vendors and Event Center staff.
  • ALL exhibitors are welcome to park in public parking entering from Gate 1 or Gate 3. Hall
  • Golf cart shuttles will be available.
  • 4-H & FFA Exhibitors will need Entry Pass Hangtags, available at the Extension Office and valid from Thursday-Sunday.

Judging, Hours & Payouts
Open Static Judging and Fair Hours:
  • Judging for Open Static will occur at the same time as 4-H Static on Wednesday, July 30.
  • Both Ag Society Hall (Lincoln Room) and Lancaster Room will be closed except for prescheduled 4-H interview judging.
  • Static Exhibits will re-open to exhibitors on Thursday, July 31 when it opens for the public at 10 am.
  • Exhibits will Open to the Public: Thursday, July 31 to Saturday, August 2 -10am to 9pm daily and 10am to 8pm on Sun August 3 when the room will be closed to the public and exhibitors can checkout.
Open Premium Payouts and Move Out
  • Please park in the same lot as you did during check-in.
  • All Open Class Static exhibits will be released on Sunday, August 3, 8:00-10:00pm AND Monday August 4, 11am-2pm. 4-H families may pick up exhibits and premiums entered in Open Class during static.
Premiums:

1st place: $5.00

2nd place: $4.00

3rd place: $3.00

Special Placings:

Champion $8.00

Reserve Champion $6.00

To speed up the release process, exhibitors should follow these steps:

1. Pick up premium report.

2. Pick up exhibits and check for errors in premium payout.

3. If there are any corrections, the department superintendent needs to initial the correction on the premium report.

4. Take premium payout report to the Payout Station to sign and receive for your premium. Do not bring exhibits to payout area.

Exception: All Open Quilts premiums will be available in the Lancaster Room if exhibitor has no other Open exhibits entered under same name on Sunday only. Any Quilts and/or premiums remaining after release Sunday will be available in Ag Society Hall on Monday, August 4 from 11am-2pm.

4-H’ers only: May also pick up their Open Static premiums and exhibits during 4-H Static exhibit release on Monday, August 5th, 7–11am.

All Open Static premiums not picked up at above specified times will be forfeited. Exhibitors who have not picked up their exhibit will be contacted by email or phone, but if any Open Static exhibits is not picked up it will be thrown away or donated after two weeks. If you are unable to pick up your exhibits at the release time, it is your responsibility to designate someone to do so.

Awards

All static exhibits are judged on the American System, not the Danish System used in 4-H and FFA. The American System places only one 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. place in each class regardless of how large the class is. Adult classes are awarded 1st–3rd place only and youth classes are awarded 1st–4th place. Champion and Reserve Champion will be awarded in each Class as well as other Special Awards such as Best In County.

At the superintendent’s and/or judge’s discretion, classes with few entries may be combined with others, and classes with an overly large number of entries may be subdivided. Judging is merit-based. At the judge’s discretion, not all placings will be awarded if exhibits do not merit placing.

Best of County

The Nebraska State Fair has designated “Best of County”classes for Quilts, Textiles and Photography. Departments. Those winners at the County level will receive a special rosette ribbon and will be given additional information on how to enter into the Best of County classes at NSF by each of those department Superintendents.

Liability, State Fair Entry & Grievances
State Fair Participation

For information about entering exhibits in the Nebraska State Fair, click here.

Liability

Lancaster County Agricultural Society and/or Sandhills Global Event Center shall not be responsible for any damage to exhibits, merchandise or concession caused by thefts, wind, hail, fire, water or any cause whatsoever. Any persons shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Lancaster County Agricultural Society and/or Sandhills Global Event Center against any and all losses and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), claims, costs, causes of action, damage to property, arising out of or in consequence of this agreement, but only to the extent such injuries of damages arise out of any act or omission of any persons, including officers, officials, employees, volunteers, agents, contractors, guests and invitees. Lancaster County Agricultural Society and/or Sandhills Global Event Center shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless any persons, including officers, officials, employees, volunteers, agents, contractors, guests, vendors and invitees against any and all losses and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), claims, costs, causes of action, damage to property, arising out of or in consequence of this agreement, but only to the extent such injuries of damages arise out of any act or omission of Lancaster County Agricultural Society and/or Sandhills Global Event Center, including Lancaster County Agricultural Society and/or Sandhills Global Event Center’s officers, officials, employees, volunteers, agents, contractors, guests and invitees.

 

Lancaster County Ag Society Board of Directors

Kendra Ronnau, President

Ron Dowding, Vice-President

John Cooper, Secretary

Karen Rutt, Treasurer

Laura Hardesty, Lynn Hagan, Ron Suing, Mitch Sump & Jennifer Rawlinson

Grievance Procedures

The following procedure will be followed for any grievance (including judges’ decisions) in the open class areas:

  1. All grievances should be discussed with the appropriate superintendent.
  2. If a satisfactory resolution is not reached with the superintendent, protests should be stated, in writing, with the nature of the protest and issues involved, signed and submitted to the Ag Society Grievance Committee within 48 hours. This committee will act upon all written protests. All decisions are final.