Fair Poetry.com
A Guide to Setting Up Poetry Contests at State and COUNTY FAIRS
'Poetry at Fairs' by Steven Robert Heine.
Are you looking to add poetry as an exhibit class at your State or County Fair? Sometimes Fair officials are intimidated about adding a literary exhibit class to their Fair. This is your guide to setting up poetry contests at State and County Fairs, written by one of America's foremost authorities on Fair poetry contests, Steven Robert Heine.
Here are the Basics:
1) Keep the classes simple. Many fairs go overboard with dozens of classes for such forms as 'romantic poetry, cowboy poetry and on and on. I have seen Fairs that had 20 or more classes for different types of poetry. Poets entering the contests simply get overwhelmed by the number of classes. Having judged dozens of Fair poetry contests, I can honestly say that even as a judge I have sometimes been overwhelmed by the dozens of classes and complexity of the rules. Keep it simple.2) Require all poetry entries be matted. Paper /cardboard mats can be purchased at almost any craft store or even online. Mats provide a nice clean look for the overall exhibit. As a judge, I judge down for poems that are not matted.3) What Not to Accept:
Do not accept entries in glass frames. Poems in glass frames can fall down during the wear and tear of the Fair and the Fair may be liable for injuries that result from people getting cut on broken glass.Do not accept entries in wood or metal frames. Wood or metal frames can be difficult to display and my fall down because of their weight.Sheets of paper not matted may be accepted, but as a judge, I always deduct points for entries not properly matted.
About the author: Steven Robert Heine is a West Coast poet. He has spent his life writing poetry and promoting the reading of it. In 2011 Heine was seriously crippled in a fall. Several surgeries later, Heine lives with a great deal of pain. (He is not on any disability). He tries to provide this site as a service to the poets of Alaska.