NEW ALBANY — The easiest way to support it, is to attend it.

That’s the suggestion made by Melissa Merida as it pertains to community backing of the Floyd County 4-H Fair, which concludes today with rides and the featured Lawn Mower Pull at 6 p.m.

Merida, Purdue Extension 4-H educator, said this week’s events were blessed with good weather and decent attendance. And as the fair is one of the biggest sources of funding for the nonprofit 4-H programs in Floyd County, Merida said sponsorships and community involvement are vital to continuing the event that has been a summertime staple locally for 90 years.

“As always, we’re just hoping to continue to grow,” she said. “My biggest focus is to get more and more youth involved, whether that be through school programs or 4-H programs.”

While the fair lasts a week, 4-H education extends throughout the year, providing area youth with a chance to learn about agriculture, raising livestock and how to construct their own creative building projects.

Along with fair proceeds, the 4-H program receives funding from grants and donations. It also was recently awarded funding from the Floyd County Council for repairs to the fairgrounds off Green Valley Road.

Some of the livestock showings were down this year in part due to the drought conditions, but Merida said the buyers who have come out to support them kids have continued to make the event a success.

She said 60-70 of the building projects on display at Newlin Hall will be entered into the state fair competition on Aug. 3.

“This is my third fair here in Floyd County and I’ve been really pleased that every year, we’ve seen an increased interest and an increased support but certainly we’d like to see that grow,” Merida said.

Keith Redden, president of the fair board, said organizers have focused on bringing local entertainment to the event. The fair depends on the support of the community, Redden said, as he added organizers are always considering ways to attract more crowds.

“We definitely always need more community involvement,” he said. “The more you can get the community involved, the more backing you’ve got, which brings more people.”

In the more than 20 years Redden has been involved with 4-H, he said he’s seen the impact the programs have had on the youth that have participated. Redden said it’s a great feeling to now work with second generation students after seeing their parents go through the 4-H program.

“It has a lot of backbone, and it’s a good background for our future community leaders,” he said.