Tonight is the night Mower County 4-H has been waiting 100 years to happen.

It's the 4-H centennial celebration.

Then, Mower County 4-Hers will hold their annual ribbon auction Saturday morning. The challenge for buyers will be to break last year's record-setting ribbon auction.

The centennial celebration begins 6:30 p.m. tonight on Godfather's Pizza Fair Square stage.

The annual Fashion Revue takes place first tonight at 6:30 p.m.

Beginning 7:30 p.m., the 4-H centennial family recognition will take place followed by the Centennial Volunteer Hall of Fame recognition ceremonies.

Also today, all of the commemorative 4-H centennial souvenirs go on sale at the 4-H building.

Also at the 4-H building are exhibits from 4-H alumni, recalling their membership in 3-H and the projects they brought to the Mower County Fair.

There's also a "Guess Who" photo contest to test the knowledge of 4-H alumni.

The year-long 4-H centennial celebration culminates at the 2002 Minnesota State Fair.

On Saturday, August 24, it's 4-H day at the State Fair, when there will be a picnic, entertainment, the Minnesota 4-H Centennial Choir, Arts-In Snip-It displays, past 4-H testimonials and other events.

4-H ribbon auction

On Saturday, the annual Mower County 4-H Market Livestock ribbon auction will be held in Crane Pavilion, beginning 9 a.m.

The morning's fun starts with a buyers' breakfast in the 4-H building served by 4-Hers. New buyers are welcome to attend.

Local auctioneers volunteer their services for the auction which is the biggest fund-raiser for Mower County 4-H.

And, the Mower County 4-H Ambassadors and Mower County Extension Service staffers assist the buyers and auctioneers throughout the morning in Crane Pavilion at the auction.

Last year's ribbon auction set a new record, raising $36,050 for 4-H programming and activities.

A total of 329 buyers participated.

Each 4-Her receives a portion of the money paid for the ribbons, while the rest goes into the 4-H general fund.

The buyers proudly display a ribbon of a champion or reserve champion livestock, poultry and rabbit projects and a picture of the Mower County 4-Her who exhibited the prize-winning entry.

For those 4-Hers, whose projects were selected to compete at the Minnesota State fair, money raised from the ribbon auction "pays the way" to the State Fair this fall.

(Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at

lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com)-