Barron County Fair

Barron County Fair Barn Quilt Contest!

July 15-19, 2026

Barn quilts were originally conceived as a way to encourage economic development by promoting ag-tourism and local businesses while bringing travelers to rural areas. While quilts are usually made up of a series of squares of the same pattern placed together, a barn quilt is always a single square.

In 2018-19 Barron County Fairest of Fair, Sarah Doyen, came up with the idea of a Barn Quilt Contest. She asked quilters from the Barron County Area if they would make a 12 ½”x 12 ½” quilt square of plain colors to enter them in a contest. We were very happy with the number of squares that were donated the first year.

This is our 7th year for the contest. So this geometric-based square is the perfect opportunity to funnel your quilting creativity into a show-stopping square that will stop Fair goers in their tracks. The winning square will be reproduced into a barn quilt board by Perfect Image Sign of Rice Lake. The fabric squares become property of the Barron County Fair. The squares will be sewn into a quilt and put in the Fairest of the Fair Basket to be auctioned off at the Wisconsin Fair Association Convention representing Barron County talents.

NEW this year we have 2 new categories. The first one is to represent what a quilt square design would have been 150 years ago. Barron County Fair will be celebrating 150 years of fair in 2027. The second one is to represent America’s 250th Birthday. Both these 2 squares you may use printed fabric in the design.

You may drop the squares off by July 8th, 2026 at:

1. Busy Bobbin, 234 N Wilson Ave, Rice Lake WI

2. Barron County Fair Office on Monday or Tuesday of the fair.

We would like to thank the quilt shop for helping promote this great opportunity.

For more information please check it out on our website: www.barroncountyfair.com or on facebook . Barron County Fair.