In 2022, the Henderson County 4-H Council set a goal to increase community involvement. To kick things off, they hosted a Back-to-School Bash, which successfully brought new families into the 4-H program. Inspired by that success, the 4-H Agents proposed a larger event to the County Extension Council: the Extension Extravaganza—a community-wide celebration showcasing the full range of programs offered by the Henderson County Extension Office.

The Council enthusiastically approved the idea and formed a planning committee, with one volunteer representative from each Extension program area. The goal was to provide fun and educational opportunities for families, while promoting Extension’s research-based resources in a hands-on, engaging way.

The Extension Extravaganza was held in September 2024 and featured more than 20 informational booths, representing a wide array of programs including:

• Nutrition Education
• Soil Testing
• Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS)
• Homemakers
• Master Gardeners
• Food Preservation
• Sewing
• Henderson County Fair Exhibits
• 4-H Afterschool, Cooking, Livestock, Outdoor Adventure, Shooting Sports, Horse, Teen, and Cloverbud Clubs, and 4-H Country Ham Project

To make the event even more family-friendly, there were also fun attractions like snow cones, face painting, a petting zoo, tractors, and inflatables. Many booths featured interactive activities and distributed flyers with program information. Over 50 Extension volunteers—teens, adults, homemakers, and Master Gardeners—helped bring the event to life by sharing personal stories and encouraging new families to get involved.

The event was widely promoted through the Chamber of Commerce, local radio, and social media. The turnout was outstanding: over 250 people attended, and more than 100 visited every single booth. As a direct result of the event, 4-H saw a noticeable increase in participation in Afterschool Clubs and Community Clubs, including Shooting Sports, Cooking, Cloverbuds, and Livestock.

The Extension Extravaganza not only showcased the breadth of Extension programming—it strengthened community ties, recruited new members, and demonstrated the life-changing impact of Extension work in Henderson County.