LEONARDTOWN, Md. — After a competitive public voting process, Leonardtown High School’s Anslea Schiffelbein has been named the winner of the 2025 St. Mary’s County Fair Art Contest. Her farm-themed illustration — featuring a draft horse, piglet, songbird and tall cornstalks — will appear as the official artwork for the 78th Annual St. Mary’s County Fair, scheduled for Sept. 18–21, 2025.
Each year, the St. Mary’s County Fair hosts a student art contest, inviting young artists to represent the spirit of the county fair visually. The winning design becomes the face of the fair, used on promotional signage, the official fair catalog and merchandise like T-shirts.
This year’s contest drew strong entries from across the county, prompting organizers to narrow the field to 11 finalists and ask the public to vote on Facebook by liking their favorite designs. The community responded, and Schiffelbein’s submission ultimately earned the top spot with 419 votes.
In addition to the new poster reveal, fair organizers have also released applications for several events, including:
- Queen of Tolerance application
- Baking contest
- Baby Show and Cute Kid Contest
- Speech contest
- Parade participation
- Decorated Wagon Contest
- 4-H Livestock Auction
- Sewing contest
Full contest details and entry forms are available on the St. Mary’s County Fair website.
A Brief History of the St. Mary’s County Fair
The St. Mary’s County Fair Association Inc. was established in 1947, with the first two fairs held in tents on rented grounds at Camp Calvert on Breton Bay. In 1949, county government leased land along Route 5 — the current fairgrounds — to create a permanent home for the event.
From 1949 through 1963, the county’s Black population organized parallel fairs sponsored by the Farmers and Homemakers Association of St. Mary’s County. The two events merged in 1963, forming the unified fair known today.
Over the decades, the St. Mary’s County Fair has grown into a four-day celebration drawing over 50,000 attendees annually. It continues to promote agricultural education, home arts and community pride — offering visitors the chance to experience farm life up close, enjoy local food and entertainment, and take part in cherished traditions.
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