Rules and Guidelines

Where any conflict appears between these general rules and the special rules governing the different departments, the special rules will take precedence. The Fair Association reserves the right to construe its own rules and regulations and to determine all matters and differences in regard thereto, including amendments.

The Fair Association furnishes guards who will remain on the fairgrounds both day and night. While every reasonable precaution will be taken for safe-guarding exhibits, it should be understood that the exhibits are entered in competition for prizes and that the owner assumes all responsibility for an accident, loss or damage that may occur. Neither the Fair Association, its officers nor agents will be responsible for any such accident, loss or damage.

All entries should be made on the regular entry blank furnished by the Association.

All exhibits entered for competition shall be subject to the control of the Director of the Department in which they are exhibited.

Except as otherwise provided for by special rules governing certain departments, exhibits in the Sherman Shepherd Pavilion should be in place by designated times.

Any exhibitor having a space reserved and not occupying same or making preparation to occupy it 24 hours prior to opening date of fair, may have their reservation canceled at the discretion of the Association. Funds are not refundable.

For every article entered, the exhibitor will be given a coupon showing department, division and class number of article. This receipt must be preserved and presented to the Department Directors at close of the fair when article is called for and claimed.

Exhibitors will be held responsible for the cleanliness of their exhibits and space surrounding same. All exhibits must be in complete order each day at least 30 minutes before the opening hour. No work of this character will be permitted during the hours the buildings are open to the public. In case of failure on the part of exhibitors to observe this rule, the Department Director may adopt such means to enforce the same as circumstances may suggest.

When space is allotted, a permit to occupy space will be given; such permit will not be transferable and no other party will be allowed to share such place with the original applicant except upon approval of the management. Exhibit Cost as follows: Food Booths - $600, Commercial exhibits - $300. Educational exhibits meeting certain qualifications - complimentary.

Advertising matter and sample of articles on exhibition only may be given to the public from booth space, or exhibit, but no article may be sold from the exhibits without special authority from the fair management. The right is reserved to restrict or discontinue this privilege whenever it is carried to excess or becomes an annoyance to visitors. Only advertising matter of such articles as have been contracted for with the Association by exhibitors may be posted in booths.

Advertising by means of posters, prints, handbills, samples, etc., will not be permitted within fairgrounds, except upon agreement with fair management.

All articles after being entered and until surrendered to the owner or agent, will be entirely under the control and jurisdiction of the Association and no exhibitor will be allowed to remove, handle or re-arrange, improve or disfigure same under any circumstances, unless permission is granted by Department Director or Fair Management.

Exhibitors may sell at their respective stands any article displayed to be delivered to the purchaser at close of the fair.

Department Directors and/or Officers of the Fair Board are not eligible for cash prizes awarded for competitive exhibits.

If it is ascertained that any exhibitor, in any inappropriate manner refuses to comply with the regulations of the Association, and has taken exception to the judgment of a judge or an awarding committee, the Board of Directors shall ban the person offending from competition for a premium or exhibiting on the grounds of the Association until he shall have made proper amends and has been reinstated by a vote of majority of the Board of Directors.

An exhibitor who tears off a premium ribbon, or authorizes any person to do so in the presence of awarding judge, or who refuses to accept a ribbon from a judge, or otherwise insults the awarding judge, shall forfeit the premium or diploma and be excluded from competition.

If it is ascertained that an exhibitor has made, or caused to be made, a false statement in regard to any animal or article exhibited, or if any exhibitor shall attempt to interfere with the judges in their performance of their duties, he shall be excluded from competing or from exhibition on the grounds of the Association.

Smoking, lighted candles, lamps, matches, etc., will not be allowed in any tents or exhibition booths in building or livestock barn. No exhibit which displays or hands out material or information of a controversial or political nature will be permitted. All applicants for exhibit space must have the unanimous approval of the Fair Board and said Board reserves the right to decline any exhibit or exhibits if deemed advisable.

No exhibit shall be removed in whole or in part during the period of the fair, except by permission of the Department Director or Fair Board.

ENTRANTS

Applications for entry should be made on entry blanks furnished by the Fair Association and must be in the hands of the Department Director no later than the date prescribed in the rules governing the department in which the entry is made.

Intending exhibitors shall write plainly on the entry blanks the department, division and class number of the prize offered for the article they wish to enter. Exact wording from the premium listing and address must be given. (Exhibitors will save themselves, Department Director and the Fair Board much time by attending to these directions and preparing their blanks before proceeding to make entries.

The Department Director must log each entry in the exhibit book of each division to show exhibits presented and what animals or articles were passed on by the judges.

JUDGES

Should any doubt arise as to the regularity of an entry, or any other important matter which the judge feels incompetent to decide, he/she shall at once report the same to the Department Director who shall in turn bring the matter to the attention of the Fair Board.

No one will be allowed to act as judge in a department or ring in which he/she exhibits.

All judges will be selected for their known familiarity with the classes in which they are invited to award premiums. They are instructed that if they shall have good reasons to believe that any exhibitor, by false entry or otherwise, attempts to deceive the judges or the public and obtain a premium by misrepresentation, that the misrepresentation is to be reported at once to the Director of the Department. Said Director shall then report the matter to the Fair Board for action.

The decision of the awarding judges shall be final, and no appeal shall be considered except in case of protest.

Objection to any person serving as judge must be submitted to the Department Director in writing prior to making award, giving good and sufficient reasons therefore and the director shall report the matter immediately to the fair management.

Any exhibitor attempting to interfere with the judges during their adjudications will be promptly excluded from competition.

The judges will award prizes on the article regularly mentioned in the premium listing and may award ribbons on such articles not mentioned in the premium listing if they consider them worthy.

PROTESTS

Protests against an award must be made in writing, accompanied by affidavits which may specify in full the grounds for protest and a deposit of $10 to the secretary of the Fair Board before the close of the day following the making of such an award. In case the protest is not sustained, the deposit shall be forfeited to the Fair Board.

The Fair Board Secretary will notify the exhibitor of the protested animal or exhibit and the nature of said protest. Both parties will then have 24 hours to bring sworn testimony in the case to be submitted to the Board of Directors. The protested award will be held in abeyance until the final action of the Board of Directors passing on same.

PUBLIC CONVENIENCES

During the Fair, grounds will be equipped with every convenience for public comfort including rest rooms. Mail addressed in care of Northwest Georgia Regional Fair will be brought to the grounds daily to the Fair office located at 1065 Liberty Road S.W. SMOKING PERMITTED IN DESIGNATED AREAS ONLY.

EXHIBITORS ADMISSION

Commercial exhibitors will be allowed admission into the fairgrounds by passes at the fair gate. Additional attendants and demonstrators must also register at the fair gate. This courtesy allowed to the exhibitors should not be abused. Service to booths and exhibits should be done outside of regular fair operating hours.

VEHICLES

Motorized, moving vehicles will not be permitted inside the gate or exhibition grounds during fair operating hours due to safety concerns.

PREMIUM DEPARTMENT - AWARDS

In the event circumstances beyond our control so disrupt our planned schedules as to necessitate curtailment of activities and operations, the Fair Association reserves the right and the exhibitor agrees to pro-rate premium and prize money herein catalogued on the basis of actual conditions existing from such causes before or during the period of the fair.

Exhibits are judged by a comparison and on a competitive basis. Where there is but one article exhibited under any class number, a first award cannot therefore be given. In this instance, if the article is meritorious, second prize money will be paid.

Premiums will not be paid according to ribbons, but by awards shown in the judge record books; ribbons do not always mean cash awards, and they may sometimes be attached through mistake, or may be misplaced or lost.

THE JUDGES RECORD IS THE ONLY GUIDE FOR PAYING CASH AWARDS.