Contests

Our contests are designed to showcase the agricultural, culinary, and artistic talents of the DC community. Check out the 2025 lineup of contests below.

Thank you to the community members that provided input on contests at this year’s Rooting DC event and elsewhere! The contest guide with all contest rules, judging criteria, and submission instructions, is coming later this year. Registration for contests is also coming later this year.

Agricultural Contests

  • Best Compost*

  • Best Egg (Chicken)*

  • Best Flower Arranging*

  • Best Garden Haul

  • Best Honey*

  • (new!) Best Houseplant*

  • (new!) Best Pollinator/Native Garden

  • Tomato Contests

    • Best Red Tomato

    • Best Non-Red Tomato

    • Best Heirloom Tomato

  • Vegetable/Fruit Contests

    • (new!) Best Cucumber

    • Funkiest Looking Vegetable/Fruit

    • Heaviest Vegetable/Fruit

Artistic Contests

  • Best Ceramic*

  • District-Themed Art Contests

    • Best District Artwork

    • Best District Poem*

  • Fabric, Textiles & Fiber Arts Contests

    • Best Crochet*

    • Best Embroidery

    • Best Knitting*

    • Best Quilt

    • Best Needlepoint

    • (new!) Best Needle Felting

  • Kids’ Art

    • (new!) Best Kids’ Creation Using Interlocking Blocks^

    • Best Kids' Drawing*

    • Best Kids' Painting*

    • Best Kids' Slime*

  • Photography Contests

    • Best Black and White Photo*

    • Best DC-Themed Photo*

    • Best Photo of People/Portraits*

    • Best Photo of a Pet/Animal*

Culinary Contests

  • Best Biscuit*

  • Bread Contests

    • Best Cornbread

    • Best Focaccia*

    • Best Sourdough

  • Cake Contests

    • Best Chocolate Cake*

    • Best Non Chocolate Cake*

    • Best Vegan Cake

    • Best Gluten Free Cake

  • Chili Contests

    • Best Meat Chili*

    • Best Vegetarian or Vegan Chili*

  • Cider Contests

    • Best Dry Cider

    • Best Sweet Cider

  • Cookie Contests

    • Best Cookie*

    • Best Vegan Cookie

    • Best Gluten Free Cookie

  • Homebrew Contests

    • Best Hoppy Beer*

    • Best Malty Beer*

    • Best Roasty Beer*

    • Best Fruity Beer*

  • Best Jam/Jelly/Chutney*

  • Mac and Cheese Contests

    • Best Dairy Mac and Cheese

    • Best Vegan Mac and Cheese

  • Pickled Foods Contests

    • Best Cucumber Pickle*

    • Best Pickle (Non-Cucumber)*

  • Pie Contests

    • Best Pie in Show

    • Best Apple Pie*

    • Best Fruit Non-Apple Pie*

    • (new!) Best Savory Pie or Galette*

    • Best Sweet Non-Fruit Pie*

    • Pie Eating*

  • Sauce/Salsa Contests

    • Best BBQ Sauce

    • Best Hot Sauce*

    • Best Mumbo Sauce

    • Best Salsa

*All contests will award a 1st place (blue ribbon) winner. Select contests, those noted with an asterisk (*), will award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

^We are not using a brand name here on purpose, but we hope you know what we mean!

Pie sampling during contest day for the 2023 DC State Fair.

Two women holding winning ribbons next to third woman.

Contest winners from the 2024 DC State Fair.