A cake submitted for judging at the Deschutes County Fair. (Submitted photo)

Fairgoers focused solely on carnival rides, cotton candy, concerts, and circus acts are overlooking a significant aspect of the Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo — exhibits.

Exhibits, open to all ages, offer an opportunity to display talents and engage in friendly competition.

The breadth of exhibit categories is extensive, ranging from livestock to crafts, fine arts to photography, preserved jams to homemade cheese and baked goods and confections. The latter category is especially kid-friendly, dividing age grouping into six sections for youth beginning at 6 and under, with additional sections for adults and seniors.

First-time judge of the baked goods and confections category, Emily Baratta, was struck by the sheer number of categories.

“There are so many categories I didn’t know about — wine, cheese, crafts,” she said, adding that one of her friends once entered a walking stick they made. “It’s a really great way for people to get involved in something and share something they love.”

In the baked goods department alone, 87 classes exist for adults and seniors, designated into types of cookies, pies, breads and more. There’s another class for sourdough bread, tortillas, scones, white bread, bundt cake, tarts and cornbread.

Classes allow for consistent and fair judging, according to Karen McBride, one of the associate directors, who has been involved with the fair since 1999.

“If it’s not within a class, it’s very hard to judge. Aunt Mabel’s Greek recipe from a hundred years ago is awesome, but nobody else has it, so it’s not a comparable contest,” she said.

However, entrants are at liberty to add their own style to recipes associated with a class. And if there is a new category with demonstrated interest, opening a new class may be considered. McBride recalled a woman who recruited others with interest in making tarts for the fair, which led to the opening of a new class for tarts.

Cake Fest

In a category known as the Cake Fest competition, the Exhibitor & Contest Guidebook outlines a recipe that all entrants follow. The recipe changes from year to year and for the 105th rodeo, a pink lemonade stand cake was chosen, with ingredients that include buttermilk, strawberry jam and thawed pink lemonade concentrate.

“Everybody uses the same recipe and we’ll get 10 different variations of that same recipe. Some look really good, some don’t, which is fun,” McBride said.

McBride keeps thinking she might move on from her role at the fair, but there’s always something that makes her happy to be involved.

“I just love it. It’s my favorite time of the year. It’s better than Christmas,” she said. “When it’s over, you’re so exhausted, but fair is the best week of the year.”

New judge brings fresh perspective

Baratta spent the majority of her career in business, charting a new career path as a pastry chef at Redmond’s Feast Food Company in 2022, where she cherishes the opportunity to create memories for others through baking.

She developed an interest in the fair’s exhibits when the friend who entered the walking stick suggested she submit the carrot cake she makes for the restaurant. While it’s in accordance with fair guidelines for all to enter, Baratta wanted to step aside, leaving room for those who weren’t working in the restaurant industry.

It just so happened that the fair was in search of a new judge and Baratta, with her experience in the pastry arts, was a perfect fit.

“I’m really excited to see what people create — especially the little ones — because there’s so much creativity there. I know I’ll find inspiration in my work,” she said.

She expects her new role to be challenging, especially narrowing the top three submissions and choosing the winner of the blue ribbon for each category.

“People are putting their hearts into these baked goods, so I consider it a very special thing to be judging and will be taking it seriously,” Baratta said.

McBride hopes to encourage young children to enter the contest, with the hope of reviving an interest in baking, which sometimes feels like a lost art.

She also had some advice for those hoping to be awarded the blue ribbon. Baked goods and confections are judged foremost on the quality of taste. Simplicity is preferred and decorations aren’t encouraged. Classes such as cookies, cupcakes and biscuits require multiple entries and it is preferred that each item is uniform in color and size. And all products should be properly cooked, she said.

Although preregistration is encouraged, all open class baked goods will be accepted between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on July 28.

Learn more at expo.deschutes.org/p/fair/exhibitor–contest-guidebook