The Great Allentown Fair’s Premium List booklets detailing the procedures and categories for entering the Fair’s Blue-Ribbon competitions are now available at the Allentown Fairground’s main and box offices. PDF versions are available for downloading at allentownfairpa.org.

Placement ribbons and cash prizes are awarded in each of the exhibitor categories judged just prior and throughout Fair week, Aug. 29 - Sept. 4. There are contests for youth entrants in addition to the all-age categories.

Two guideline booklets are available: one for Agri~Plex entries and one for livestock entries. Deadline for registering livestock is July 15. Deadline for Agri~Plex entries is 6 p.m. Aug. 5. Ways to register are listed in the booklets.

In addition to area farmers and gardeners, amateur crafters, collectors, cooks, photographers and others with creative talents have the opportunity to enter items for judging and display inside Agri~Plex, the Fair’s main exhibit hall sponsored by Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Exemplifying the number of award categories, 145 types of vegetables are juried and that’s without counting the 15 different varieties of potatoes, giving “spuds” its own department.

The Fair typically exhibits more than 1,200 farm animals and more than 9,000 products from farms, gardens and homes including arts and crafts.

Allentown Fair Special Culinary Contests sponsored by PenTeleData offer cooks and bakers incentives for whipping up favorite recipes or creating new dishes that are judged during the Fair with an audience watching.

These prize contests are described in the Fair Premium List but require the completion of separate applications available at the Fair Office and online at:

allentownfairpa.org/contests.

Here are the Culinary Contests:

1. Homemade Chocolate Cake Contest sponsored by Vynecrest Winery

2. Ultimate Fruit Pie Challenge sponsored by Ritz Barbecue

3. Wicked Sweet Bakery Ultimate Cookie Challenge

4. Pennsylvania’s Incredible Angel Food Cake Contest sponsored by PA Egg Farmers

5. The Great American SPAM® Championship

6. PA Preferred™ Junior Baking Cookies, Brownie and Bars Contest for ages 8-18 sponsored by PA Preferred™ and Newburg Deli & Catering

7. Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery’s Cooking with Wine Hors d’oeuvres Contest

8. Pampered Chef Marvelous Muffin Contest sponsored by Beth DeFrancisco

9. Bechdolts Orchard Fresh Peach Dessert Contest

10. Best “No Bake” Dessert Contest sponsored by A&A Plumbing

11. Nicole M. Gruber Memorial Pineapple Upside Down Cake Contest sponsored by Sharon Kurtz and Catherine Ache of MADD® Pennsylvania

12. Blue Ribbon Apple Pie Contest sponsored by Grim’s Orchard and Family Farms

The Premium Lists and applications for the special contests may be picked up at the Fair office behind the Ritz Barbecue on the Allentown Fairgrounds at 17th and Chew streets from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays or at allentownfairpa.org and by clicking on “Contests” to download the list and applications. Information, call 610-433-7541.