Butler County Fair Association

In 2026 there was legislation passed that changed the structure of the Butler County Fair Association. The Butler County Fair Board members at the time of the changes wanted to establish a scholarship for Butler County residents who participated in Butler County 4H and or FFA who had a desire to attend Butler Community College.

A flyer shows the 4th Annual Fair Butler County Exposition on September 16, 17, 18, and 19th, 1884.

A charter was applied for on May 6, 1899 for the Butler County Fair Association and filed with the State of Kansas on May 15, 1899. There were 67 stockholders at this time.

The nature and character of the business in which said corporation proposed to engage in is “To lease a tract of land and to conduct an agricultural exhibition including exhibitions of speed and endurance of horses. The object being the encouragement of Agriculture, Horticulture, Art and Mechanics and the improvement of the breeds of domestic animals”.

In January of 1951, Articles of Incorporation were filed “This Corporation is organized Not-for-profit and the objects and purposes to be transacted and carried on are: “Purpose of holding an annual fair and giving such public exhibitions and entertainment as its Board of Directors may determine to be for the improvement of the County and its citizens, and to conduct any and all things necessary for the holding of such fair, including acquisition of real property.” Twenty-seven stockholders were listed at this time.

On February 26, 1967, a Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of Butler County Fair Association was filed to approve the total amount of the capital of the corporation to $25,000 and the total number of shares into which it is divided is as follows: 5,000 shares of common stock, Class “A”, par value of $5.00 each. The state approved the amendment on April 12, 1967. This established the system that the Butler County Fair Association operated under until December 31, 2025.

Throughout the years, the fair evolved to a 4-H fair and the first exhibits were mostly beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs and sheep. Divisions added over the years were foods, clothing, arts & crafts, photography, woodworking, entomology, geology, rocketry, floriculture, meat and dairy goats, poultry, pigeons and numerous other 4-H projects as they were added from Kansas State University 4-H Department.

Open class divisions were added to include the Butler County residents and 4-H alumni. Also added were the FFA projects from Bluestem High School and Flint Hills High School.

A livestock sale was added in the 1950s and 4-Hers could sell their livestock projects to businesses and individuals from the community and surrounding areas. In 2023 a project auction was added where 4-Hers sold static projects providing they weren’t selling livestock.

The Butler County Fair always provided a learning experience as much as it provided a method of recognition for Butler County 4-Hers. Volunteer leaders provided many hours each year to assist the Fair Board in making this event possible for the Butler County youth and community.