2026 CUSTER COUNTY 4-H CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Any changes to the calendar will be announced as needed in the 4-H Bow Knot newsletters and email.
JANUARY
1 - Office Closed for New Year’s Day
5 - Nebraska 4-H Foundation Scholarship Application Submission Deadline
19 - Office closed for Martin Luther King Jr Day
24 - State Indoor 4-H Archery Championships, Grand Island
26 - 4-H Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m., 4-H Building
30 - 4-H Club Year-End Treasurer’s Reports Due in Extension Office
FEBRUARY
1 - Deadline for Custer County Foundation Scholarship Applications
7 - Market Beef Weigh-In, Broken Bow Animal Hospital, 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
16 - Office closed for Presidents Day
27 - Deadline for Signing Up for the Special Garden Project - Alumia Vanilla Cream Marigold
MARCH
1 - Custer County 4-H Activities Scholarship Application deadline
2 - Deadline for ad sales
2 - Deadline for Premium Book Cover Photo Contest
9 - Deadline for Signing Up for the Special Agronomy Project - Popcorn
13 - Registrations due online for Custer County 4-H Indoor Archery Match
14 - Nebraska State 4-H BB Gun Championships, Kimball
15 - Nebraska State 4-H Air Rifle Championships, Kimball
16 - 4-H Council Meeting, 4-H Building, 7:30 p.m.
21 - Custer County 4-H Indoor Archery Match, Shooting Range, Fairgrounds
30 - Registrations for 4-H Public Speaking Contest due via online registration
APRIL
1 - Deadline for 4-H membership contest
1 - Early-bird 4-H Enrollments Due on 4-H Online
6 - 4-H Public Speaking Contest, 4-H Building, 6:30 p.m.
11-12 - 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Certification & Update Workshop, Custer County Fairgrounds, Broken Bow
15 - Entries due online for 4-H Horse Stampede
24 - Office closed for Arbor Day
25-26 - 4-H Horse Stampede, Lincoln
MAY
1 - 4-H T-Shirt Orders due 18 - 4-H Council Meeting, 4-H Building, 7:30 p.m.
25 - Office closed for Memorial Day
27-29 - P.A.S.E. Animal Science Judging Contest, UNL, Lincoln
29 - 4-H Horse ID’s due in Extension Office
29 - Advancement Levels (For State Horse Show Entries Only) due in Extension Office (PENDING)
JUNE
1 - State 4-H Horse Show Deadline for Online Entries (PENDING)
15 - 4-H Livestock ID's due in Extension Office
15 - State Fair & Aksarben DNA Samples due for Market Beef, Breeding Beef, Market Swine, Breeding Swine, Market Lambs, Breeding Sheep, Meat Goat, Breeding Meat Goat, and Feeder Calf
15 - Deadline for 4-H ONLINE Enrollments
16-17 - State 4-H Premier Communication Event (Public Speaking Contest), UNL East Campus Union, Lincoln
19 - 4-H Market Beef Carcass nominations due in Extension Office
21-26 - 2026 4-H Shooting Sports National Championship, Grand Island, NE
26 - COUNTY FAIR ONLINE ENTRIES DUE by 5:00 p.m.
JULY
4 - Office closed for Independence Day
11-15 - State 4-H Horse Show, Fonner Park, Grand Island
13 - 4-H Council Meeting, 4-H Building, 7:30 p.m.
13 - Deadline for Fashion Show narratives to be submitted online by 5:00 p.m.
15 - 4-H Horse Advancement Levels due in the Extension Office.
16 - Clothing Construction and Fashion Show Judging, Evangelical Free Church, Broken Bow
16 - 4-H Public Fashion Show, Evangelical Free Church, Broken Bow, 7:00 p.m.
18 - 4-H Dog Show, Fairgrounds, 8:00 a.m.
22 - 4-H Entry Day for all exhibits except food, clothing, horticulture, and livestock
24-25 - 4-H Firearms Shooting Matches, Fairgrounds
24-30 - 2026 Custer County Fair
25 - Foods & Garden/Horticulture Judging, Fairgrounds
30 - 4-H & FFA Livestock Auction, Fairgrounds
AUGUST
17 - 4-H Council Meeting, 4-H Building, 7:30 p.m., (if needed)
28-Sept. 7 - 2025 Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island
SEPTEMBER
7 - Office closed for Labor Day
15 - Record books and award applications due to organizational leaders
21 - 4-H Council Meeting, 4-H Building, 7:30 p.m.
24-27 - Aksarben Stock Show, Grand Island
26 - 2026 Nebraska Youth Smallbore Silhouette Invitational, Pressey Wildlife Management Area, Oconto
28 - Entries due for 4-H Window Display Contest
OCTOBER
1 - Record books, award applications, secretary books and leader year-end reports due in the Extension Office.
2 - 4-H Window Display Contest judging day
4-10 - National 4-H Week
12 - Office closed for Columbus Day
NOVEMBER
11 - Office closed for Veteran’s Day
15 - 4-H Recognition Program, 4-H Building, 2:00 p.m.
16 - 4-H Council Meeting, 4-H Building, 7:30 p.m.
26-27 - Office closed for Thanksgiving
DECEMBER
25 - Office closed for Christmas holiday