Taste the Flavor: 2025 Elkhart County 4-H Fair Puts Food in the Spotlight
New food contests, $5 specials, and vendor variety make this year’s Elkhart County 4-H Fair a feast to remember.
The Elkhart County 4-H Fair is always about food, but this year, the spotlight is even brighter on that.
With the theme “Taste the Flavor, Share the Fun,” 2025 Fair President Randi Yoder is celebrating one of the fair’s favorite traditions: great food and the community that makes it possible.
Yoder has spent his career at Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Middlebury and is part of the family that owns and operates it. He has also overseen concessions as a board member for the past four years.
The 2025 Elkhart County 4-H Fair runs Friday, July 19 through Saturday, July 26. Each year, the board president selects a theme. Many past themes have revolved around 4-H, which involves more than 3,000 youth in Elkhart County. Yoder’s theme includes that too—reflected in the fair logo, which features a gold plate, fork and spoon, and a blue-ribbon backdrop.
“I don’t stand here today just to brag that we have the best county fair in the Midwest—though I do think we do—but because we believe in learning, growing, and holding ourselves to gold standards. That’s what you all do,” Yoder told the Goshen Noon Kiwanis Club on Tuesday. (I’m a member of this club that serves hamburgers and sweet corn during fair week and uses proceeds to support scholarships and local nonprofits.)
A Fair Built on Community Involvement
“The fair is large and distinctive, of course. What sets it apart? Number one is community involvement,” Yoder said. “At the heart of our fair is the community—the volunteers, staff, and board members all play crucial roles.”
With more than 75 food vendors—a mix of professional and nonprofit—variety is the name of the game. Yoder and his team aim to keep things fresh. New vendors this year include a new taco stand, an old-time taffy booth, an old-fashioned soda stand, and Dutch Kernel Popcorn from Nappanee.
Some stands may introduce new menu items, while others will focus on longtime favorites. Each has also been asked to offer a President’s Choice item—an affordable, featured dish that helps fairgoers enjoy great food without breaking the bank. (Our Kiwanis club will sell a pickle on a stick. I’m told it’s going to be a big dill.)
A $5 coupon book is available this year to help guests save even more, and on opening day, Friday, July 19, many vendors will feature $5 specials.
Four Days of Eating Contests
Last year, someone in our club wanted to launch a one-pound burger eating contest, but Yoder asked us to wait. Now we know why. With 2025’s food-focused theme, the contest is happening and it’s not alone.
From Monday through Thursday at 4 p.m. on Food Row, contestants can compete in a series of themed eating contests. The entry fee is $20, and winners receive $150 in cash—plus anything extra their sponsoring vendor offers.
Monday: One-pound burger with fries
Tuesday: Mini funnel cakes from Best Around Concessions
Wednesday: Giant corn dogs from Pacifico
Thursday: Deep-fried Oreos
“In 2025, these contests will celebrate the fair’s culinary delights—something surprisingly overlooked by past presidents,” Yoder said. “With events like these, we’re not just about food; we’re about creating memorable experiences for our guests.”
A Personal Connection to the Fair
I won an eating contest at the fair more than 20 years ago when deep-fried Twinkies made their debut. The competition was thin—literally—and I waddled away victorious. Yoder urged me to come out of retirement for the Oreo showdown. I declined. Been there, done that.
I have mixed feelings about competitive eating. I love food and sports, but I don’t necessarily need them combined—just like I lament how much trash the fair creates over its nine-day run. (More than 400 trash cans are emptied daily.)
Still, I’m looking forward to the Dairy Bar ice cream, my first burger off the grill at the Kiwanis booth, and the chance to see people from across the community. I was “Fair Boy” in the ’90s and early 2000s, covering the fair as a reporter. This year, I’ll be back again as a volunteer.
I’m hungry. Let’s eat.
