Kentucky State Beekeepers Association

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Every year in the summer, KSBA and CKHP sponsor a honey booth at the Kentucky State Fair. Below is information for KSBA and CKHP members interested in selling honey at the Kentucky State fair, as well as information for local bee clubs interested in volunteering to work at the honey booth.

Overview

The Kentucky Fair is an opportunity for beekeepers and local bee clubs across the Commonwealth to highlight the joys and rewards of beekeeping. The KSBA and CKHP Honey Booth at the Kentucky State Fair shines a light on the importance of honey bees and other pollinators, highlights the integrity of Kentucky beekeepers and enables beekeepers state-wide to come together to develop relationships with other beekeepers. The underlying spirit of the Fair is good will, productive work and fun!

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions below. Also, feel free to contact the 2024 State Fair Coordinators Tim Sheehan and Mike Mabry with additional questions.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Kentucky State Fair

What is the value for beekeepers to sell honey at the State Fair?

All KSBA and CKHP members are eligible to sell honey and other bee related products at the Kentucky State Fair. Each beekeeper receives 70% of the sale price of their products sold at the Fair. See the State Fair Booth Guidelines , Pricing Guide and Map for more details. Here is a summary report from 2024 Kentucky State Fair.

What is the value for local bee clubs to volunteer to work at the State Fair?

Beekeepers, both KSBA and local beekeeping club members who volunteer at the fair recognize that their time is spent helping all Kentucky beekeepers market their honey, while receiving a good market price for their own honey sold at the fair. Local clubs working at the State Fair:

Receive about $250 per day of volunteering. Most local beekeeping clubs keep in mind that the payout is nice, but the real value is being a part of helping to promote honey and beekeeping state wide. See below for a full list of financial details.

Receive a free day at the state fair which includes free admission & parking

Gives each volunteer the opportunity to bring honey to the fair to sell, and to experience the joy of fair goers sampling their honey and purchasing it, as well as being able to sell the honey of other Kentucky beekeepers

Many Kentucky beekeepers who have worked the State Fair describe it as "definitely hard work, but a complete blast!"

Can I see the financial statements for the State Fair? I'd like to know how much it costs to host the Fair, how much producers make, how much clubs make and what products sell best.

Yes. Here are detailed reports from the 2024 State Fair. Let us know if you need anything else.

Sales by Product

Honey Sales

Local Bee Club Volunteering Payout

Budget and Financials
Also, here are the reports from past state fairs:
Financial Reports from 2023 State Fair
Financial Reports from 2022 State Fair

Can I enter my honey into the State Fair competition? Are there other bee related product categories that are judged?

Yes. Go to the "Bees and Honey" section (page 25) of the Kentucky State Fair Manual at the Kentucky State Fair website. There, you will find details on how to submit your entry into the Bees and Honey competition. There are several categories including extracted honey, creamed honey, chunk honey and black jar honey. The scorecard is shown as well so you can understand how your honey will be judged. There are other categories too, such as artisan and block beeswax, observation hives, frames of honey and educational displays.