Extension Office gives kids a place in Frontier Days
Moore County youths can enter more than 60 cultural arts categories and a homemade apple pie contest
8:15 a.m. June 15, 2026
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
Before the music starts and the Square fills up, before the chicken bingo, fireworks, and tractors rolling through town, there will be pies carried into the IBIS Building, artwork ready for display, canned goods lined up, photographs turned in, and handmade work waiting for a ribbon.
That is where Frontier Days begins for a lot of Moore County kids.
The Moore County Extension Office is calling on local youth to enter the Frontier Days Kids Cultural Arts exhibits, with more than 60 categories open to ages 18 and younger. Categories include sewing, painting, canning, baking, photography, and plenty more – the kind of work that still feels right under the roof of a hometown festival.
The Extension Office events matter because they give kids more than something to watch. They give them a place in the weekend – a pie to bake, a picture to frame, a jar to can, a project to carry in, and a little pride with their name on it.
Entry packets are available at the County Building, 241 Main St. in Lynchburg, or by emailing Brenda Hannah at Bhannah1@utk.edu.
Kids Cultural Arts entries should be dropped off at the IBIS Building, 161 Main St. in Lynchburg, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 24. The exhibit will be open during Frontier Days at the IBIS Building.
The Extension Office is also hosting a kids' homemade apple pie contest during Frontier Days. The contest is divided into two age groups: third grade and younger, and fourth through 12th grade. Pies are due by 2 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at the IBIS Building. Questions may be directed to Brenda Hannah at (931) 212-5267.
A full weekend on the Square
Around those kids’ entries, Frontier Days will do what Frontier Days does – fill the Square with contests, music, food, exhibits, cars, tractors, hot air balloon rides, and fireworks.
Friday gets the weekend moving with the FCE Cultural Art Exhibit, a car cruise-in, chicken bingo, the kids' pedal pull, and a live performance by 90 Proof.
Saturday brings the full festival rhythm: cookoff smoke, skillet tosses, tractors, Rangers, exhibits, auctions, Moon Pies, kids in costume, Power Wheels, balloon rides, music from Eian Rivera and Cody Cozz, and America 250 fireworks to close the night.
It is the kind of day where folks wander the Square, check on the cookoff, catch a contest, cool off where they can, and somehow end up back in the middle of it.
Something for Everyone
The competition is open only to Moore County residents, adults and youth alike. Any Moore County 4-H student or Moore County FCE member may enter any category.
Entries can be dropped off at the IBIS Building, just off the Lynchburg Square, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, or from 8 to 10 a.m. Thursday, June 25. Judging will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, with winners announced shortly after. All 4-H and youth entries will be judged separately.
The public can view the entries on Friday and Saturday during Frontier Days. Entrants should pick up their items from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday.
All entries must have been made since August 2025, except for canned goods.
Categories
• Basketry
• Bead work: jewelry, clothing, any other
• Ceramics
• Chairs and stools: woven or caned
• Crochet – thread
• Crochet – yarn
• Cross-stitch: counted (not machine cross-stitch)
• Cross-stitch: other (not machine cross-stitch)
• Decorative painting: tole, China, textile, stenciling, any other
• Diamond painting/art: beads or tiles
• Dolls: any type (no kits)
• Embroidery: hand – all types, including Brazilian, ribbon, crewel (all hand-work)
• Embroidery: machine – all, including machine cross-stitch
• Fine art painting: acrylics
• Fine art painting: drawings, charcoal
• Fine art painting: pastels
• Fine art painting: oil
• Fine art painting: watercolor
• Floral design: any material
• Hand-crafted toy: any material
• Hand-stitching: hardanger, cutwork, smocking, applique
• Holiday decoration: Christmas (Christmas only)
• Holiday decoration: Non-Christmas (any other than Christmas)
• Jewelry: non-beaded
• Knitting: hand
• Needlepoint: any type of canvas
• Paper crafts
• Photography: black and white (person – individuals, two or more)
• Photography: black and white place (landscape, scenery)
• Photography: black and white (all other – animals, insects, flowers, etc.)
• Photography: color (person – individuals, groups)
• Photography: color place (landscape, scenery)
• Photography: color (all other – animals, insects, flowers, etc.)
• Pottery
• Quilts: cathedral window and applique (all work by FCE member)
• Quilts: baby and lap (all work by FCE member)
• Quilts: embroidered – hand (all work by FCE member)
• Quilts: hand-pieced and hand-quilted (all work by FCE member)
• Quilts: machine-pieced and hand-quilted (all work by FCE member)
• Quilts: machine-pieced and machine quilted (all work by FCE member)
• Quilts: hand- or machine-pieced and professionally quilted (all work by FCE member except quilting may be done by another FCE member or non-member, paid or free)
• Quilts: pillow (all work by FCE member)
• Quilts: wall hanging (all work by FCE member)
• Quilts: other, including clothing, potholders, placemats, and rag-time quilts (all work by FCE member)
• Repurposing: recycling material to create something new
• Rug making: any type
• Sculpture: any medium
• Stained glass
• Tatting
• Weaving: hand
• Weaving: loom
• Woodworking: all
Sewing
• Pillow – any method or style
• Placemats – set of 4
• Potholders – set of 3, any method
• Apron – any style
• Child’s Garment – for a child under 12
• Adult Garment
• Bags – Purses Any Style
• Leatherworking – any kind
Canned Goods
• Kraut – pint or quart
• Jelly – pint or half-pint
• Jams and preserves – pint or half-pint
• Juice – pint or quart
• Tomatoes – pint or quart
• Vegetables – pint or quart
• Fruit – pint or quart
• Cucumber pickles – pint or quart, sour
• Cucumber pickles – pint or quart, sweet
• Pickled vegetables – pint or quart, any other
• Relish – pint or quart, any kind
• Honey - pint
• Salsa or sauce – pint or quart
Food Preparation
• Cookies – (6) any kind
• Pie – one-fourth pie (no meringue)
• Cupcakes – (3) any kind
• Cakes – one-fourth, any kind
• Fudge – 6 pieces
• Candy – other, 6 pieces
• Fried pies – (3) any kind
• Yeast bread – any kind
• Sweet bread – any kind
Live Floral
• Cut-flower arrangement
