Rockwall Youth Fair Returns for 73rd Year at Tate Farms in March

Rockwall County 4-H and FFA students will take the show ring at Tate Farms on FM 548 next week when the 73rd Annual Rockwall Youth Fair opens a four-day run from March 25 through 28, bringing livestock, student-built projects, and a market auction that returned more than $100,000 to local youth last year.

The fair opens with Ag Mechanics Judging on Thursday, March 26, at noon at the Rockwall ISD Ag Science Center, 875 Riding Club Road. Students will present projects they built themselves, many of which will be available for purchase at the weekend's Market Sale.

Livestock exhibitions begin Friday, March 27, at 5 p.m. at Tate Farms, located at 12992 FM 548. That evening's schedule covers goats, lambs, chickens, rabbits, and cavies. Swine and beef shows follow Saturday morning at 8 a.m. The full roster of animals on exhibit across the event includes rabbits, hogs, goats, lambs, steers, heifers, cavies, and poultry — animals that organizers describe as representing hundreds of hours of year-round care and preparation by student exhibitors.

Saturday's schedule shifts to family programming starting at 10 a.m. with the Buckaroo Barnyard, which runs through 1 p.m. and features arts and crafts, a petting zoo, and the Texas Farm Bureau Mobile Learning Barn. Sign-up for two children's events opens at 10 a.m.: the Stick Horse Rodeo, open to ages 5 to 7, steps off at 11 a.m. with stick horses provided, and the Stuffed Animal Stock Show for ages 3 to 5 begins at noon, inviting young participants to bring a favorite plush toy to show.

The Market Sale, also listed as the Market & Premium Sale, begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 28. Community members can bid on animals and student-built projects, with proceeds going directly to student exhibitors for college tuition, future agricultural projects, and other educational expenses. Last year's auction distributed more than $100,000 to Rockwall youth. The Youth Fair of Rockwall operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, meaning purchases and contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

The fair is organized around Rockwall County 4-H and National FFA Organization programs, which organizers say give students hands-on agricultural experience alongside leadership development. The Leadership Rockwall Agri-Innovation Barn Project is also cited as a supporting partner of the event.