🐓 Poultry Shows at the National Peanut Festival
📍 Alabama Ag Credit Ag Complex
Dothan, Alabama
The 2026 National Peanut Festival Poultry Shows invite youth and open exhibitors to showcase their finest birds. From production breeds and bantams to ducks, turkeys and other poultry, these shows celebrate animal care, agricultural knowledge and exhibitor achievement.
📅 Important Dates
Registration Deadline: October 18, 2026
Bird Check-In: Thursday, November 12, from 5:00-8:00 PM
Youth Showmanship: Friday, November 13, at 6:00 PM
Awards Presentation: Friday, November 13, at 7:00 PM
Optional Check-Out: Friday following the show and awards
Final Check-Out: Sunday, November 15, from 8:00 AM-2:00 PM
🍀 4-H/FFA Youth Poultry Show
Open to active members of chartered 4-H clubs and FFA chapters in Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Participants must meet the age and membership requirements provided in the official rules.
Youth Competition Highlights
- Production Male
- Production Female
- Fancy
- Bantam
- Other Poultry, including quail, ducks, geese, turkeys, guineas and pheasants
- Four youth showmanship age divisions
- Cage Decorating Contest
- Poultry-related educational exhibits
- Project portfolios and record books
- Jerry Wayne Abner Spirit Award
- Doug Summerford Award
- Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion honors
- Merit awards based on cleanliness and overall appearance
Showmanship participants should be prepared to demonstrate proper bird handling and answer questions about their bird’s breed, variety and care.
🏆 Open Poultry Show
The Open Poultry Show is available for exhibitors who are not participating through 4-H or FFA. It is judged separately from the Youth Poultry Show and does not include showmanship.
Open Show Classes
- Production Male
- Production Female
- Fancy
- Bantam
- Other Poultry
Champion and Reserve Champion awards will be presented in each class. Open exhibitors may also participate in the Cage Decorating Contest.
💵 Entry Information
- Entry Fee: $8 per bird
- Maximum: Four birds per exhibitor
- Entry fees are nonrefundable
- Online registration is required at nationalpeanutfestival.com.
Each exhibitor receives a complimentary admission armband. Admission tickets for accompanying family members and an optional Agriculture Parking Decal should be purchased during online registration.
📋 Health and Care Requirements
- A Flock Testing Monitoring Report dated within 30 days of the show or proof of current NPIP certification is required.
- All birds are subject to a health inspection at check-in.
- Birds showing signs of illness, parasites, fowl pox, dirty plumage or other health concerns will not be permitted to participate.
- Exhibitors must provide their own feed, feeders and waterers.
- Birds must be fed, watered and cared for daily by their exhibitors.
- Cages and surrounding areas must remain clean throughout the exhibit.
- Exhibitors are encouraged to provide their own cages.
- Oversized, freestanding, designer or electrically powered cages require advance approval.
- A limited number of show-owned cages may be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
All Poultry Shows are open to the public, so come see the beautiful birds and support the talented exhibitors participating in the 82nd National Peanut Festival!