For those eager to see a big blue ribbon next to that radiant water lily or flawless painting you’ve been working on all summer — don’t forget to mark this on your calendars.

By Saturday, all entries in horticulture, creative arts and fine arts for the Mower County Fair should be pre-registered.

Those interested need to complete an entry form (available online in the Mower County Fair book) and mail it or drop it off at the fair office on 700 12th St. SW.

The deadline for entering photography has already passed.

The fair will not turn down submissions that aren’t pre-registered, but sending in an entry form will ensure a quick, simple process when people submit their entries in early August. If someone is unsure whether to enter an item in the fair, they should still pre-register it; items can easily be taken out of the contest.

The horticulture sector receives between 2,500 to 2,700 entries each year, consisting of potted plants, fruits, vegetables, grains and much more.

Specimen plants, hostas and planters are the most popular in horticulture entries, said horticulture supervisor Louise Barnes, and new this year is an herb category.

The creative arts, which brings in about 800 submissions each year, is bringing back the popular Lego category.

Professional, pro-amateurs and amateurs may enter art work in the fine arts category.

For an entry form and complete list of rules and categories, go to www.mowercountyfair.com and download the “Premium Book.”

The Mower County Fair, running Aug. 11 —16, is celebrating its 125th Anniversary this year, with both the arts and horticulture contests participating in the celebration.

In the Floral Design Arrangements category, entries can have an antique appeal or a 125th Fair Anniversary theme, in addition to several other possibilities.

“We’re trying to stress the importance of the 125th anniversary,” Barnes said.

And in the arts department, supervisor Virginia Bissen highlighted several “back to basics” categories: a sugar cookie contest, gingerbread contest and newly-added apron contest.

Bissen explained that aprons go back many years.

“In the 1930’s you’d buy seed at the elevator… it came in cloth sacks.”

Then the fabric from those sacks was used to make aprons.

This year’s apron entries will be made with 30’s reproduction fabric purchased at Calico Hutch.

For more information, go to www.mowercountyfair.com or call the fair office at (507) 433-1686.