(Atlantic, Iowa) – The final, full day of fun at the 2023 Cass County Fair, on Monday, July 31st, features the Beef show at 8-a.m. One-hour after conclusion of morning beef show, there will be Beef Fitting Contest. At 9-a.m., the Best of Iowa contest begins.

All contestants for the Best of Iowa must select a recipe using an Iowa product or products as the main ingredient in this unique competition. The dish is prepared in front of a judge within a twenty-minute time restriction. Participants are assessed on the food preparation, the abundance of and application of Iowa product(s), and the finished product’s quality in a conversation-based judging once they have completed the dish.

In this 2023 contest lineup, there are sixteen contestants entered in three different categories depending on their 4-H grade they just completed. To round off the competition, three Senior 4-H members will compete by preparing a Family Favorite recipe that uses one or more homegrown Iowa product(s) to make the recipe healthier.

Again, this year, Clover Kids members will have a chance to participate in their own unique Best of Iowa exhibit! Sixteen members who have completed kindergarten through third grades will have the opportunity to demonstrate how to make a simple after-school snack utilizing Iowa ingredients. Clover Kids will have a Senior level 4-H member to assist and help with safety and kitchen skills.

Superintendent Tracy Marshall encourages the public to attend and support the 4-H’ers as they get imaginative with their Iowa-grown foods. Chairs will be set up to provide an audience area where the public can view the contestants as they cook and engage with judges. All finished products will be arranged on a tasting table, so the public can sample the 4-H member’s masterpieces after the judging is concluded.

Awards will be presented Monday afternoon, along with awards for several other contests, beginning at 4:00pm in the Cass County Community Center. Here’s the rest of Monday’s schedule at the Cass County Fair, and a look at what’s in-store for Tuesday:

11:00 A.M……………………………………..Rotary Watermelon Feed
9:00 A.M-12:00PM……………………………Cass County Cattlemen’s Kids Play Area
2:00 P.M………………………………………Dairy Cattle Show
4:00 P.M………………………………..……..Building Awards
5:45 P.M………………………….……………Parade of Champions/Bucket of Junk/Fundraising Auction
6:30 P.M………………………………………………….Grand Champion Beef Selection
7:45 P.M……..………………………………………Livestock Released
8:00 P.M. -9:00 PM……………………………Static Exhibits Released

TUESDAY, August 1
8:00 A.M……………………………………….Livestock Sale