The Clark County Fair and Horse Show is nearly upon us. Have you decided to show off your talents?

There are the pageants, and for children and teens there are FFA and 4-H competitions. There are home economics competitions in baking, cooking and candy-making as well as canning, gardening and horticulture.

But there are also competitions for adults who want to show off talents in basketry, ceramics, crafts, needlework, photography, painting, quilting and water colors. There’s even a coloring book contest with adult categories as well as four categories for children and teens.

So figure out what your most outstanding talents are and show them off this year at the Clark County  Fair and Horse Show June 15 to 22.

Writing opportunities

If you’re not one for going out to theatre or concerts or such, June may be your month.

The Clark County Public Library has opportunities each month for you to become a better writer, particularly if your interests run to poetry and short stories. Most Fridays, from 10 a.m. to noon, finds six or seven poets and writers meeting in the large community room to read and discuss their latest effort.

But there is always room to fit in another person or two; don’t be shy bring what you’re working on and pull up a chair.

If you’re not a morning person stop in on the second Tuesday night of the month at 6 p.m. for the Winchester-Clark County Writer’s Group. The group, under the leadership of President Betty Pace, meets in the small community room to read and discuss short stories that group members are working on.

The group has been meeting for about 20 years but there’s always space at the table for one more writer.

Theatre camps at the Leeds and elsewhere

Leeds Center for the Arts’ Musical Theatre Intensive June 10 to 24 is sold out. But there are still opportunities for children and teens interested in attending a theatre-oriented summer camp.

Leed’s is hosting Lexington Children’s Theatre’s “Matilda” Performers Workshop for children age 7 to 12, June 24 to 28.

According to the website, “Students will work to create their own play by using contemporary literature or a theme as their source material. The class will originate its own characters, dialogue and story.” Camp will culminate with a performance at 4 p.m. Friday, June 28.

Cost and more information is on the Leeds website.

At their Short Street home the Lexington Children’s Theatre is conducting camps all summer long for a variety of ages, abilities and interests. For information about those camps, visit their website www.lctonstage.org

The Richmond Area Arts Center, 399 W. Water St., is sponsoring a  theatre camp for students in grades four to 12, June 17 to 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Camp will be led by Sarah Evans so students learn how to use their voice, body and brain through acting games, do scene and character work, develop skills in improvisation, accents and stage movement and combat, and use theatrical elements to bring stage works to life.

On the last day the campers will give a performance for family and friends. More information is at artsinrichmond.org.

Bill McCann is a playwright, poet, flash fiction writer, and teacher who writes about arts events and personalities. Reach him at wmccann273@gmail.com