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Oswego County Fair's 1st Annual Bucket of Junk Contest

• Wednesday, July 2, 2025, 10:00 AM - Sunday, July 6@ 6:00 PM

Create a sculpture using only the items - and all of the items! - in the bucket - but not the bucket - provided to you by Cooperative Extension of Oswego County and based on the Oswego County Fair’s theme: Barn in the USA. The finished sculptures will be displayed in the Agriculture/Domestic Arts Building for the entire fair!

General Information

1. Open to ANY interested parties of all ages. This is NOT a 4-H Members Only competition.
2. Classes are as follows, based on age as of January 1, 2025:
   • Individual Youth (12 years of age and younger)
   • Individual Youth (13-18 years of age)
   • More than 1 youth (mixed ages of youth) No adults
   • Family
   • Individual Adult
   • Group of Adults, ex., business, church, club...
3. There will be a tangible prize awarded to the first place in each division and the People Choice. No cash premiums will be awarded.
4. The contest is limited to 15 applicants (individual or team) and will be on the first come first serve basis. There will be a waiting list to replace any applicant that drops out of the contest before the fair, as well as any applicant that does not collect their bucket of supplies.
5. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County will provide the buckets and the items known as "junk." The goal is to use all the items in the bucket but not the bucket to create a sculpture based on the Oswego County Fair’s 2025 theme: Barn in the USA. 
6. Buckets must be picked up at the Oswego County Fair between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 7 2025. If you cannot make this time period, arrangements for an alternate time can be made with the superintendent prior to pick up date.
7. Sculptures are to be dropped off at the Agriculture/Domestic Arts Building on Tuesday, July 1, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. If this is not a convenient time, please contact the superintendent before June 28, 2025 to schedule an appointment for drop off. No exceptions. When delivering your sculpture, please return the bucket.
8. The finished sculptures will be displayed in the Agriculture/Domestic Arts Building for the entire fair, July 2 through 6, 2025.
9. Sculptures can be picked up 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on July 6, 2025 or 10:00 a.m. to Noon, Monday July 7, 2025. Any sculpture not claimed by Noon on July 7th will be disposed of.

Presentation

1. The objective of “Bucket of Junk” is to create a sculpture using only the items in the bucket. A sculpture is defined as a three-dimensional work of art that can be viewed from 360 degrees.
2. All sculptures must be submitted and presentation ready to be accepted. Sculptures not meeting this requirement may not be judged.
3. Judges must know where you used each item in the bucket. Please note, you must use each item. You do not need to use the entire item in the sculpture, but there must be enough used to make it visible. The only optional pieces in the bucket are the packaging from different items i.e. cardboard packaging, plastic bag, etc. However, if you want to use it, you may, but they are not mandatory.
4. You may not add any additional items to your sculpture. Only the items in the bucket are permitted to be part of your sculpture. The bucket may not be used as part of the sculpture. There will be a list of contents in each bucket. Please indicate on the list where each item was used. Please return this list completely filled out when you drop off your sculpture.
5. You can cut, sand, glue, weld, bolt, fasten, bend, shape, curl, staple, and paint these items to make your sculpture.
6. You may connect your entry to a solid base for stability, if needed. The base CANNOT be part of the sculpture. The base must also be smaller than the sculpture, and it is NOT to be painted. The base will not be considered part of your sculpture so it will not be judged.
7. The bucket and contents list must be returned when you bring the sculpture to the fairgrounds for display. The bucket is not to be used as part of the sculpture.
8. Any sculpture larger than 24L x 24W inches will automatically by disqualified.
9. Your sculpture must be completely finished when it arrives. No painting, construction, etc. will be allowed.

Judging Criteria

1. Contestant used only the materials that we provided (required). 25%
2. Contestant used materials in a new way to create something different. 25%
3. Contestant’s ideas are recognizable (clarity of idea). 25%
4. Contestant’s overall finished appearance of the sculpture, including the difficulty of the piece and how well it was made. 25%

Fee

NO ENTRY FEE, but registration is required!

Register

https://forms.gle/BW3PnfgLUfHd8mfL6

Location

Oswego County Fairgrounds
291 Ellisburg Street
Sandy Creek, NY 13145

Last updated April 17, 2025