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HERKIMER COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED
FRANKFORT, NY · EIN 223031391 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE N520 · Recreation & Sports · Small ($100K-$1M) · herkimercountyfair.org
revenue
$537K
expenses
$534K
net assets
$1.1M
employees
0
volunteers
70
program ratio
92%
mission · from form 990

EDUCATION AND PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES

profile · synthesized from sources

Herkimer County Fair Association Incorporated organizes and operates the annual Herkimer County Fair, a community event promoting agricultural education and rural traditions in Frankfort, New York. The fair features competitive events such as demolition derbies, tractor pulls, flower shows, and youth pageants. It serves local residents and participants from neighboring counties, emphasizing family engagement, agricultural display, and public entertainment.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $0
    N/A
  2. #2 $0
    N/A
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Championship Tractor Pull
Tractor pulling competition with five divisions based on weight and engine specifications, offering cash prizes and gift certificates to winners
Demolition Derby
Competitive event featuring cars, trucks, and vans in two-night demolition competition with safety regulations, vehicle inspections, and cash payouts; includes Bone Stock and Economy classes
Flower Show
Horticultural exhibition open to residents of Herkimer and neighboring counties, featuring annuals, perennials, roses, orchids, and creative floral designs judged for awards
Queen, Princess & Prince Pageant
Youth leadership and public representation competition for girls and boys in three age divisions, culminating in the selection of fair ambassadors
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • County and Regional Agricultural Fair Management 7 activities
    • Administer decorative vegetable, flower, and arts & crafts competitions
      Hosts judged competitions for decorative vegetables, flowers, and arts and crafts, with cash premiums of $8 for first, $5 for second, and $3 for third place. Awards Best of Show and special theme rosettes, and presents memorial trophies including the Josephine Fitzgerald High Point and David Dudgeon Reserve High Point in the flower show. Exhibits are accepted during specified hours and must remain on display after the fair closes.
    • Host dairy breeds and showmanship competitions with premiums and trophies
      Organizes annual youth and open dairy competitions, including dairy breeds and showmanship events, with cash premiums ranging from $10 to $30 per placement. Awards the Bud Johnson Memorial Trophy for best bred and owned animal and a $100 gift certificate from Clinton Tractor to supreme champions. Theme awards are given to farms that decorate according to the annual fair theme.
    • Host demolition derby events for cars, trucks, and vans
      Hosts multiple demolition derby events during the fair, including separate nights for cars only and for cars, trucks, and vans. Includes judging for best-decorated vehicles based on the annual fair theme and distribution of memorial trophies funded by local families.
    • Host tractor and truck pull events with official weigh-ins and divisions
      Organizes championship tractor pull and 4-wheel drive truck pull events, including official weigh-ins and open participation regardless of league affiliation. The tractor pull is held annually as a championship event.
    • Host youth and adult pageants with cash prizes and trophies
      Organizes and hosts a series of annual youth and adult pageants including Jr. Miss, Little Miss and Little Mister, and Queen, Princess, and Prince events, awarding cash prizes of up to $125 and trophies. Includes scheduled sign-in, performances, and public appearances by winners during and after the fair.
    • Host youth and open beef show with cash awards and special prizes
      Conducts an annual youth and open beef show featuring cash premiums for participants, with awards ranging from $10 to $25 in the open division and $20 for first place in the youth division. Awards a $100 gift certificate from Clinton Tractor to supreme champions and presents Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor Awards.
    • Organize and operate the annual Herkimer County Fair
      Plans and runs the annual Herkimer County Fair, a multi-day event featuring agricultural exhibitions, entertainment, competitions, and community activities. The fair is scheduled annually, with events planned through at least 2026.
  • Youth Sports Community Events 1 activity
    • Host Kids Power Wheels Derby for children
      Organizes a Kids Power Wheels Derby with two age divisions for children ages 3 to 10, providing a prize to every participant and special awards for the best-decorated power wheel in each division.
  • Equestrian Competition and Recognition Programs 1 activity
    • Host horse shows and gymkhana events with competitive divisions and prizes
      Organizes youth and open horse shows and gymkhana events, offering free participation for youth and $5 entry fees for open classes. Awards rosettes for High Point and Reserve High Point in multiple divisions, and provides a $100 gift certificate from Clinton Tractor to the overall horsemanship winner.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$537K
Contributions & grants$2K0%
Program service revenue$481K90%
Investment income$2K0%
Other revenue$52K
expenses
Total expenses$534K
Program expenses92%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$105K
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$1.11M
Cash$181K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$1.11M
Liquid reserves4.1 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +41.7%
relationships · 14

Who they work with

  • Clinton Tractor Partner — Provides $100 gift certificates awarded to supreme champions in dairy competitions.
  • Clinton Tractor Partner — Provides a $100 gift certificate awarded to supreme champions in the beef show.
  • Clinton Tractor Partner — Sponsor of the championship tractor pull event
  • Clinton Tractor Partner — Supplies a $100 gift certificate as a prize for overall horsemanship at the horse show.
  • Gillette Shows Partner — Sponsors the Jr. Miss, Little Miss, and Little Mister pageants at the Herkimer County Fair.
  • Gillette Shows Partner — Sponsors the Queen, Princess, and Prince pageant
  • K-Dogs BBQ Partner — Sponsors the Arts and Crafts department at the Herkimer County Fair
  • Mohawk Valley Pro Pulling League Partner — Co-presented the 4-wheel drive truck pull event.
  • Pat Stacheiski Partner — Volunteers as Superintendent for the Decorative Vegetable department at the Herkimer County Fair.
  • Sue Viox Partner — Named as Superintendent of the Flower Show, responsible for overseeing entries and operations.
  • The Dennis Family Funder — Funds the memorial trophy for the winner of the Van/Truck Heat.
  • The Elthorp Family Funder — Donates the Special Sportsman Trophy awarded on both nights of the demolition derby.
  • The Petkovsek Family Funder — Funds the "Hardest Hit" memorial trophy.
  • VINCE's U-Pull-IT Partner — Sponsors the demolition derby event at the Herkimer County Fair.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community Engagement Through Localized and Competitive Events
    methodology: community-engagement-through-youth-events
    By hosting agricultural, horticultural, and motorsport events that prioritize local participation and judged competition, the organization strengthens community ties because localized, merit-based engagement fosters pride, authenticity, and sustained public involvement.
  • Promotion of Originality and Innovation Through Judging Criteria
    methodology: creativity-based_judging
    By requiring original work, prohibiting re-entries, and emphasizing creativity in judging, the organization ensures high-quality, current, and innovative exhibits because these standards incentivize personal effort, artistic innovation, and annual renewal of content.
  • Youth Engagement Through Inclusive and Age-Appropriate Programming
    methodology: age_grouped_participation
    By organizing youth events in age-based divisions and offering free access to youth divisions, the organization encourages broad youth participation in agricultural and equestrian activities because age-appropriate structure and removal of financial barriers increase accessibility and developmental relevance.