STUDENT SHOWCASE

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PROJECTS WITH CLASS!

San Diego County schools are doing some amazing projects, and the San Diego County Fair wants to showcase your work!

Student Showcase is the competitive exhibit where teachers enter their students’ work. Entering projects gives schools and students exposure, credibility, awards, recognition and free admission to the Fair!

The Student Showcase takes our commitment to students seriously! Divisions align with student grade levels, offering more opportunities for achievement. The Student Showcase competition is divided into the following four age divisions:

The San Diego County Fair's Best of K-6^th Grade celebrates both teachers and students from across the San Diego County, highlighting individual and collaborative efforts and providing classes the unique opportunity to be see their work featured in a public setting.

Each participating class contributes small, simple projects made by its students that Fair staff will thoughtfully assemble into cohesive art pieces and display in multiple locations around the Fairgrounds – making elementary student work a feature of the Fair experience!

Participation is Free!

Competition Timeline

Simple Table Custom Table

Entry Deadline:	Monday, May 18, 2026 by 11:59pm
Entry Delivery to the Fairgrounds	Friday, May 22, 2026 from 12pm-6pm or Saturday, May 23, 2026 from 9am-4pm
Fair Dates:	Wednesday, June 10 – Sunday, July 5 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays)
Entry Pick-up:	Tuesday, July 7, 2026 from 9am-4pm

Eligibility

Teachers from San Diego County elementary schools or programs (Pre-K/TK through 6^th Grade) may enter their students’ work from the current school year (2025/2026). Each student may participate in one (1) Best of K-6^th Grade project.

Contact Us

San Diego County Fair Entry Office
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, CA 92014
Office (858) 792-4207 • Monday-Friday from 10am-4pm

BEST OF K-6TH GRADE PROJECTS

FAIR THEMED PROJECTS- ONCE UPON A FAIR

DIVISION 4000: Character Creations

Celebrate your favorite story character…or make up a new one!
Teachers may submit one thumbprint character per student. Each thumbprint character must be on a 1” square piece of paper or cardstock (any color). (Please keep paper squares separate. Displays will be assembled by Fair staff.) Paper squares are readily available at craft retailers. For inspiration, see Ed Emberley’s Great Thumbprint Drawing Book.

DIVISION 4001: Books

Celebrate literature and literacy! Tell us the story of your class!
Each teacher may submit one (1) bound collection of work on paper or cardstock per class.
Work may include art, science, math, or language arts. The compilation may include individual work or documentation of a group project. Please include a brief teacher biography or statement of project.
Maximum size is 9” x 12”. Binding may include stitch binding, comb binding, spiral binding, thermal binding, or ring binding. (Please make it sturdy.)
Project ideas include, but are not limited to:
- Classic study of an artistic style
- Poetry or short stories, with or without illustrations
- 2-D collage
- Photographic documentation of a class field trip or performance
- Math or science project that includes graphics like pie charts, bar graphs, or tessellations

WONDERFUL WOOD PROJECTS

DIVISION 4002: Personalized Popsicle Stick Art

Celebrate folk art! Transform a humble popsicle stick into a work of art!

Teachers may submit one popsicle stick per student uniquely decorated with paint, markers, embellishments, etc. (Please keep popsicle sticks loose. Displays will be assembled by Fair staff.) Popsicle sticks must be a maximum of 6” L.

DIVISION 4003: Year of the Horse

Celebrate the Chinese Zodiac “Year of the Horse”!

Teachers may submit one 2D wood horse cut out per student uniquely designed, painted or colored. Teachers may submit one horse per student. (Please keep horses loose. Displays will be assembled by Fair staff.) Wood horse cutouts are readily available through craft retailers. Horses must be a maximum of 5”L.

DIVISION 4004: What's Growing On?

Celebrate our region’s rich agricultural heritage!

Teachers may submit one 2D wood fruit cut out per student uniquely decorated to look real or a little fantastic. Teachers may submit one fruit cutout per student. (Please keep fruit pieces loose. Displays will be assembled by Fair staff.) Wood fruit cutouts are readily available through craft retailers. Some ideas of locally grown fruits include apples, pomegranates, lemons, and strawberries. Fruit must be a maximum of 4”H.

AMERICA 250 THEMED

DIVISION 4005: Barn Quilts

Celebrate the tradition of American quilting!

Teachers may submit one quilt square measuring 3” square per student. (Please keep quilt squares separate. Displays will be assembled by Fair staff.) Paper squares are readily available at craft retailers. References for barn quilts include The Barn Quilt Manual by Sheila Sinclair Snyder and Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement by Suzi Parron.

FAIR TICKETS

Each registering teacher will receive (4) Exhibitor Access Passes (at Entry Delivery).
Participating students will receive (1) Exhibitor Access Pass per entry (at Will Call).

Awards

Participating classes will each receive a rosette.

Participating students who visit the exhibit will receive a ribbon.

Entry Delivery & Pickup

All entries must be delivered to the Fairgrounds. Please refer to the Exhibit Timeline for in-person delivery dates. Registering teachers will be emailed additional delivery and pick up instructions including a map showing access to the Fairgrounds. If applicable, Fair staff will provide entry tags at entry delivery.

HOW TO ENTER

After reading all entry materials, click the “Enter Now” link below to go to the ShoWorks Entry Homepage.
In the Student Showcase, teachers are the exhibitors. Teachers (exhibitors) will enter multiple students as individual entries under their registration. Please register as one of the following:
1. Individual teacher - Select Exhibitor from the drop-down menu.
2. Multiple teachers - Select Quick Group from the drop-down menu, which will allow you to submit entries for a group of teachers (exhibitors) and check out in the same cart.
Once registered as either an Exhibitor or a Quick Group for multiple exhibitors, select "Add Entry" to add each student project.
Select the appropriate division and class and input the required information.
Review your entry before completing registration to ensure that you have entered the correct division and class for each entry.
Click the check-out button and pay for all entries.
Read the confirmation statement and type YES. Do not click multiple times, as it will charge you each time.
Submit the Class Roster. Click here to submit your class roster.

If you plan to make changes to your entries or need to leave ShoWorks at any time, SAVE YOUR CART before exiting out.

For additional help with entering and uploading images, review this detailed step-by-step guide: Entry Tutorial

Still have questions?
Please call or email the Entry Office.
Phone: (858) 792-4207 • Monday-Friday from 10am-4pm

2026 LOCAL RULES

Completion of online entry registration shall be deemed acceptance of all rules and permission to use your name, photograph, and images and description of entries in print, digital and other media.
Online registration is required for all competitions and one-day contests. Online entries and any required image/document uploads are accepted until the published deadline, which specifies a date and time. Late entries will not be accepted.
Once registered, the exhibitor name, entry description, title, and price may not be changed. Substitutions will only be allowed in accordance with current State Rules. Fair Management is not responsible for errors on entry forms which may lead to elimination or disqualification of an entry.
Processing fees must be paid online at the time of registration. Processing fees are non-refundable.
Exhibitors must be living at the time the online entry is submitted.
All non-livestock/non-agricultural entries must be the creative work of the exhibitor (whose name appears on the entry registration), be in good taste, and suitable for family viewing. Fair Management reserves the right to disqualify any entry/exhibit it deems objectionable or not in accordance with competition standards.
If an entry is disqualified after judging is complete, no changes will be made to the status of awards given for other entries.
Exhibitors are responsible for obtaining necessary permission from models and/or to use material in their entry that is considered copyrighted.
No entry will be accepted should the exhibitor describe the conditions under which he/she will exhibit, or the exhibit will be displayed.
Judges are selected for their expertise in the divisions or classes they evaluate. New judges may be appointed each year, and judging assignments may vary annually based on the needs of each competition
If a coordinator or judge deems an entry to be in the incorrect category, division, class, etc., he or she may direct the Entry Office to move that entry as appropriate. The Entry Office may combine divisions or classes to create an adequate judging pool.
Fair Management reserves the right to limit entries, and display thereof, to facilities available and to cancel any division or class in which, in its judgment, the entries are insufficient to secure adequate competition.
Entries must be delivered on the date(s) and times specified. Entries will not be accepted before or after the stated entry delivery date. All accepted exhibits must remain on display and shall not be removed until the stated entry pick up date. Any exhibit not picked up on the specified date becomes the property of the San Diego County Fair and will be disposed of promptly.
All exhibits are entered and shown at the owner’s risk. Reasonable care will be taken to prevent loss or damage to exhibits, but in no event will the 22nd District Agricultural Association (San Diego County Fair) be responsible for any injury or loss which may occur or for the actions of third parties. Insurance, if desired, should be obtained by the exhibitor at his/her own expense.
Any person who violates any Local, State, or Department rule or displays unethical conduct will forfeit all privileges and premiums and be subject to such penalty as the 22nd District Agricultural Association (San Diego County Fair) may order.
To ensure reliable award notification, exhibitors are responsible for submitting all address, phone number and email address updates promptly in writing to entry@sdfair.com or Entry Department, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar, CA 92014.
Premium money will be paid per the recorded placings in the official judging reports rather than the ribbon attached to the exhibit.
Donated Award recipients will be selected per the instructions given on the Donated Award Confirmation Form submitted by the donor.
Premium, donated cash award, and auction checks will be made payable to the exhibitor as listed on the online entry registration. Checks will be mailed within 30 days after the close of the Fair to the address shown on the online entry registration, or as updated by the exhibitor via written notification to the Entry Office. Checks not cashed within six (6) months from the date of issue will be forfeited. Replacement checks may be subject to a stop payment fee.
The 22nd District Agricultural Association (San Diego County Fair) is required by the Internal Revenue Service to report any premium payments totaling $600 or more. Exhibitors whose awards meet or exceed this amount must submit a W-9 form before their check can be issued.
The 22nd District Agricultural Association (San Diego County Fair) management reserves the right to amend or add to these rules and assumes no liability or responsibility not herein expressed.

California State Rules apply and are available here.

Ready to Enter?

Enter Now!

DOWNLOAD & PRINT

Download Competition Guide

All Local and State Rules apply.