Upcoming Events
Morris County 4-H Events + Deadlines:
Promote 4-H at local events
4-H will have a table or booth at many events in Morris County in the coming month. All 4-H families are invited to participate (talk to visitors about 4-H and your club, offer an activity, hand out flyers, bring your friendly animal - if permitted at the event, and help with the set-up and take-down). It is a lot of fun! Please contact the group if you would like to be included: mc4hpromotions@gmail.com. Or simply support 4-H and the event by visiting and stopping by at the 4-H table to say Hi.
Morristown Festival on the Green - Sunday, October 1, 12-5pm
Bottle Hill Day (Madison) - Saturday, October 7, 10am-5pm
National 4-H Week in Morris County
October 1-7, 2023
Wear your 4-H t-shirt or gear, present about 4-H in you school or groups, or plan an event with your club or family to share your 4-H experience and invite new members to join.
October 7 - 4-H Pokemon Walk in Morristown (see seperate post below)
Window Displays (see separate post below for list of locations)
4-H Window Displays
October 1-7, 2023
All clubs and families is invited to create a window display (or use what you had at the Fair, with updated information if needed) to be in a public place e.g. a window or corner of a store or business. We are also checking with local libraries if we can use a display case or table for this purpose. Please ask us if your library has already been contacted or let us know where you would like to have your display. The 4-H Window Display can be as simple as a poster with information about your club and photos of what you did last year and what the club is all about or a more elaborate display covering a big showcase window or next to the entrance of a building (please check with the location first, of course). The Fair Theme "Changing the World with 4-H" can be used.
Please let us know before October 1 if you are participating and the location. Winners of the contest will be announced at the Awards Ceremony in November in the categories of:
Club Window Display
Family / General 4-H Display
Visit these displays at the following locations:
Chester library - Plants, Pollinators, & Poultry club
Morristown library - Shutterbugs club (camera collection + photos)
Roxbury library - General 4-H display + small Shutterbugs exhibit
Chatham library - family displays
Florham Park library - STEAM Punks club
Whippanong library - Knit Wits club
Tractor Supply in Flanders - Clubs: Busy Bees & Seedlings, Curious Critters, Dumbledorks, Feathered Friends, Furry Friends, Just Kid 'N' Around, Radical RC Racers
October 4-15, 2023
Tractor Supply nationwide supports 4-H by rasining money at their Clover Campain in the Fall and Spring. The proceeds of the fundraiser will go in parts to National 4-H (10%), the State office, as well as the local county 4-H, meaning us! We are lucky to have not just one but two Tractor Supply stores in Morris County: Flanders and Rockaway.
October 8 (Sunday), 2023 - Rockaway
Sign up here if you want to join the 4-H team at the Rockaway Tractor Supply any time between 10-2pm on Sunday, October 8: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848A4AC28A4F9C25-44515301-trunk
Clubs are invited to set up a table in one of the stores between October 4-15 so shoppers can learn about 4-H and know who will benefit from their paper clover purchase. (Please call the store before to coordinate)
October 7, 2023
In Celebration of National 4-H Week, Join us for Pokémon GO!
We will start on the Morristown Green at 3pm and walk and collect for about an hour.
With many Pokestops within walking distance, Morristown is one of the 10 best places in NJ to play. Join us!
Register here: https://forms.gle/QcP9dVfg6TqxL1fx9
October 17, 2023, 6-7:30pm
Poetry is a creative way to express what you think, feel and see. In this workshop, you will learn the many forms of poetry you can write; all poems need not rhyme. Poetry can be on any subject, real or fantasy. Poems capture sensory details of sounds, sights, smells, touch and taste. Many art forms such as photography, music and art can spark your poetry; if you have any of these art forms, bring them to our workshop! Perhaps your poem will become lyrics to a song! No prior poetry writing experience is necessary for you to join this workshop. Just the desire to discover the poet in you!
Find your Spark in writing. You do not need to be an expert.
Our Writing Workshops are for kids in 4th grade to one year out of high school. We are here to support the budding writer in you no matter what level you feel you are.
Words are everywhere. We want you to use them and have fun. So come join us on Tuesday October 17th from 6-7:30 at the 4-H office (550 West Hanover Ave in Morristown) for our supportive and fun workshop. Register here by October 10: https://forms.gle/NwJZgCFzWxheWEgH8.
4-H Winter Holiday Card Contest
Submit by: Wednesday, October 18, 2023
It seems crazy to think about the winter holidays now - but you can start creating card design ideas. Email them to Britt Wagner at bw387@njaes.rutgers.edu or mail to or dropp them off at the office by October 18. It can be digital art, hand drawn, painted, ... whatever works for you. All 4-H members are invited to participate. The winner will be announced at awards ceremony in November and the cards and e-cards created with the design will be send to all Morris County 4-H families, volunteers, association members, and friends of 4-H.
The 2022 Holiday card design (left) was created by Maria Alfano and the media card design (right) by Cecelia Murphy.
4-H Trunk-or-Treat
Saturday, October 21, 2023, 2-4pm
Join our 4-H clubs and families at our first Trunk-or-Treat at the 4-H office (550 West Hanover Ave in Morristown)! Enjoy the decorated cars and tables, fun activities, and some treats while fiding out what all the different clubs do. Let's share the 4-H fun with friends and other soon-to-be 4-H members!
All 4-H clubs are invited to decorate a car (or table if you prefer) and offer activities to members and the public.
4-H families and clubs decorating a car or table - please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848A4AC28A4F9C25-44515301-trunk#/
4-H Awards Ceremony
Saturday, November 4, 2023
The 4-H year goes from September to the end of August the next year. In August and September leaders and 4-H'ers get ready to evaluate the achievements and we celebrate all successes at an awards ceremony in the Fall. Here are some files and forms with details of the different awards available: https://www.morris4h.org/4-h-clubs/club-resources
The 2023 Awards Ceremony will take place in the auditorium of the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy at
500 West Hanover Avenue, Morris Plains, 07950
(across from where Morris View Drive meets West Hanover Ave)
Saturday, December 2, 2023 - tree will be decorated with ornaments made by our 4-H clubs (ornaments drop off by Monday, November 27 in Morristown or Rockaway)
December 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 26, 30 from 10-4pm - "Festival of Trees" (The Frelinghuysen Arboretum charges $10 per person for their event)
Our 4-H tree at the Frelinghaysen Arboretum's Festival of Trees last year was a hit! It was so much fun to see all the different handmade ornaments - and all the other tree too, of course. Let's do it again! This year's Morris County 4-H Clubs Tree will be called "Changing the World with 4-H" based on the Fair Theme.
All 4-H clubs are invited to make ornaments that show what their club is all about.
The ornaments can be dropped off by Monday, November 27 at the 4-H office or in Rockaway, please contact:
Britt Wagner - 4H Office, 550 W Hanover Ave, Morristown, Email - bw387@njaes.rutgers.edu
Rebecca Janis (Rockaway) - Shutterbugs Photography Club, rebeccajanis37@gmail.com
Alternatively they can be brought to the tree decorating at the Arboretum Mansion on December 2 (please let us know so we can coordinate).
No unwrapped edible items, flammable things (candles), confetti, glitter, artificial snow, live plants or flowers etc. should be used as part of the ornaments / decorations or during the decorating.
We can't wait to see this year's creations!
4-H Clover Dance
Saturday, February 17, 2024
Come try different dances with us. No previous knowledge required. Square dancing, line dancing, contra, ... a caller will tell us what to do. Come and have fun! This will be held at the Barn in Chester. More information to come. Be sure to save the date!
4-H at the Morris St Patrick's Day Parade
Saturday, March 9, 2024
4-H clubs and families march in the St Patricks Day Parade in Morristown. Mark your calendars. More details will be available closer to the date. Here is the parade page: https://paradeday.com/
4-H Science-sational Day
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Science-Sational Day will be back in 2024! Mark your calendars for this popular event.
We are seeking presenters and helpers! Let us know if you have a workshop you would like to offer.
A registration link for participants will be available here closer to the date.
Other 4-H Events and More:
NJ State Invitational 15 Mile Competitive Trail Ride
October 8, 2023
Judged on Conditioning, Setup, Horsemanship, Obstacles & Navigational. Rider will follow trail markers to complete trail in 3 to 3.5 hours. Open to 4-H members 4th thru 13th grade. Sponsored by Cumberland County 4H and held at Cumberland County Fairgrounds (3001 Carmel Road, Millville, NJ). Vet check will be at 8am, ride out at 9am. There will be awards:
Team Awards Teams $80/4riders
Individual Awards Individuals $25
This event will finish with an awards BBQ ($10). For more information call 856-451-2800 ext 3.
October 21, 2023
at the Ted Blum 4-H Center, 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater, NJ.
This year the On Taret Archery 4-H club will be combining a round of Archery Golf with an Indoor Faux Field Archery Shoot for a full day of activity. We are even hopeful that enough participants will want to compete in a team, best-shot, Archery Golf Round at the end of the day.
With this much fun packed in, it will be worth the drive from anywhere. As usual - fantastic prizes will be awarded. See the flyer for more details.
Questions? Email at: 4hontargetarcheryclub@gmail.com
Monmouth County 4-H Trunk Or Treat
October 21, 2023
Join Monmouth County 4-H at this free public event: Enjoy treats while learning about: their 4-H Clubs, Fire prevention with Smokey the Bear, Bees with the NJ Honey Queen, Nature Programs, and much more hocus pocus happening.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2023, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. (RAIN DATE: OCTOBER 22) at the Winter Run Activity Center, 270 Southard Ave., Farmingdale, NJ
National 4-H Youth Congress
Event: November 24-28, 2023
Grades 10-12 as of September, 2023
National 4-H Congress is a unique leadership opportunity for 4-H members from all 50 states. The event focuses on leadership, youth empowerment, community service, career development, and cultural diversity. The event brings over 1,000 4-H members to Atlanta over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. There are many outstanding visits and workshops along with keynote addresses that round out the experience. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for 4-H members.
New Jersey sends approximately 10-20 4-H members and two adult chaperones to the event each year. One to three delegates are nominated from each county and then final delegates are selected through a state interview process. The cost of the event is approximately $1,400 and includes air transportation, registration, lodging, and most meals. All interested 4-H members must be in grades 10-12 at the time of the trip and must complete an application and go through a county and state selection process. Participants can only attend this event one time during their 4-H career.
Please contact the Morris County 4-H office for the application: morris4h@njaes.rutgers.edu or 973-285-8301. Forms and recommendation letters were due by July 19. More information including the timeline for interviews etc. can be found here: https://nj4h.rutgers.edu/leadership/nat4hcongress/
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Grades K-13
This annual favorite at Somerset 4-H is not to be missed. Collect your friends and sign up as a group.
Cupcake Expo - members in grades K-3 @ 1pm-3pm
Cupcake Wars - Team competitions
Juniors - members in grades 4-8 @ 10:30-4pm
Seniors - members in grades 9-13 @ 12:30-5:30pm
At the Somerset 4-H Center in Bridgewater.
Not a 4-H member yet?
Visit the 4-H Clubs page to see what is available - then email or call the 4-H office to get connected with the club leaders and get you started. You can try a club meeting to see if it is the right fit for you before you enroll. Email: morris4h@njaes.rutgers.edu, Phone: 973-285-8301