Photo Contest | 2026 Utah County Fair

Prizes Furnished By

Official Rules

The Utah County Fair Photo contest invites fairgoers to capture and share their favorite moments from this year's fair. All entries must be taken at the official fairgrounds (475 South Main Street, Spanish Fork, UT) during the event dates (July 28, 29, 30, 31 & August 1, 2026).

1. Open to all fair attendees:
    • Youth category: participants 17 and under.
    • Adult caterory: participants 18 and older.
    • By entering, participants agree to these rules.

2. Entry Requirements:
    • Photos must be taken at the fairgrounds during the current fair dates
    • Each participant may submit up to 5 photos per category
    • Accepted formats;:JPEG or PNG
    • Basic edits (cropping, brightness, contrast) are allowed
    • AI-generated or heavily manipulated images are not allowed

3. Categories:
    • People of the Fair
    • Animals and Agriculture
    • Night Lights
    • Events
    • Youth 

4. Submission deadline:
    • All entries must be submitted by August 2nd at midnight
    • Late submissions will not be accepted.

5. Judging:
    • Entries will be evaluated based on: Creativity, Composition, Relevance to the fair, Overall visual impacts. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges

6. Usage Rights:
    • By entering, participants grant Utah County Fair permission to: Display submitted photos online, Juse images for promotional purposes (with credit to photographer) Photographers retain ownership of their images. 

7. Verification:
    • Winners may be asked to provide the original photo- file to verify eligibility.

8. Code of conduct:
    • Entries must be appropriate for all audiences
    • No offensive, unsafe, or illegal content
    • Organizers reserve the right to disqualify any entry

9. Winners:
    • Winners will be announced on August 7th on the Utah County Fair Facebook and Instagram social media

10. Liability: The organizers of the contest will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by entrants as a result of their participation in the contest. The organizers also reserve the right to alter these terms and conditions at any time and without notice. 

11. Agreement: By submitting an entry, participants confirm they have read and agree to these rules.

Meet the Judges

Lanay

Lanay Renstrom is a Texas-based commercial, branding, and event photographer with more than 23 years of experience creating authentic, story-driven imagery.

Based in North Texas and working throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond, she specializes in corporate events, personal branding, and commercial photography, capturing genuine moments with energy, precision, and purpose. Known for her ability to engage a crowd and put people at ease, she creates images that reflect both the experience and the people behind it.

Her work is rooted in authentic storytelling, professionalism, and creating photographs that help businesses, brands, and individuals build trust and lasting connections.

Ed

Ed McCulloch is an internationally acclaimed commercial director and photographer known for emotionally grounded, human-centric storytelling. His portfolio spans 20+ countries for top-tier brands like Google, Nike, Ford, and Oakley. He is also the co-founder of the creative agency Highlanders Creative.

"Ed has an incredible instinct for finding truth in the subject matter," said Joe Kresta, executive producer at Airfoil Media. "He knows how to create visually compelling work without losing the heartbeat of the story.

Justin

Justin Hackworth is a Utah-based photographer known for his artful, honest portraits and wedding photography.

Based in Provo and working throughout Utah and beyond, he creates images that feel natural, authentic, and full of life, with a style that blends documentary instincts and a relaxed approach that puts people at ease.

His work spans family portraits, headshots, corporate photography, and weddings, and has been featured in galleries, publications, and permanent collections.

Erica

Erica has been behind a camera for as long as she can remember. There's even a photo of five-year-old Erica captured mid-shot, already photographing someone else with one of those classic point-and-shoot cameras with the attachable flash sticks on top. As a teenager, she researched cameras, saved up her babysitting money, and bought her very first film camera. In college, a photography class let her develop her own film and prints in the darkroom, an experience she still counts as a highlight.

When DSLRs came along, she got one and spent years capturing friends, family, and anyone willing to be her subject. Her favorite muse, though, has always been her daughter. These days, Erica is passionate about photographing people of all kinds and is currently dipping her toes into day-in-the-life documentary-style sessions, the kind that capture real moments, not just posed ones.

Erica and her now-grown daughter call Central Florida home, where they shamelessly use Disney World as their personal playground.