School Groups – Jams, Jellies, Pickles

2025 SCHOOL GROUP COMPETITIONS

Jams & Jellies: Tuesday October 28, 2025
Pickles: Wednesday October 29, 2025
Honey: Friday October 31, 2025
Maple Syrup: Monday November 3, 2025
Seed Art Display: Wednesday November 5, 2025
Pollinator Plant Art: Wednesday November 5, 2025

Competition Information

Entry Deadline: Monday October 6, 2025.
Note: You do not need to have your product ready at this time. The final deadline for The Royal to receive your product is October 26, 2025.

Entry Fees: No Entry Fee.

Exhibit Arrival Time: Tuesday October 21, 2025, to Sunday October 26, 2025.
Office hours are 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, except Saturday and Sunday 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM.

Entry Delivery Address:
Agriculture Show Office, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
39 Manitoba Drive (Use Door #33 for drop offs), Exhibition Place
Toronto, ON, M6K 3C3

Rules and Regulations

1. Entries must be made via AssistExpo, RAWF’s online entry system. After the entry closing date, the RAWF will send the exhibitor a confirmation letter outlining their entries as well as labels for their products. These labels will contain the section #, class #, and ID# for each entry. Please match your entries with the labels and place these labels on the bottom of the appropriate jars.
2. ALL exhibits whether shipped (prepaid) or delivered in person must arrive at the RAWF between the drop off days listed above. Please ensure you provide your courier with the office hours above when scheduling your shipment. To avoid breakage, exhibitors are requested to pack exhibits with padding. If you are hand delivering your entries, please call ahead to ensure staff is present. Please ensure your name, exhibitor number and address are on the outside of your shipping box.
3. All exhibits become the property of the RAWF and will not be returned.
4. The decisions of the judges are final.
5. Jams, Jellies, Pickles
   1. The exhibitor must send two (2) jars of Jam/Jelly for each entry. Exhibits must be packed in 125 mL, 236mL or 250mL mason jars, with a 1/4-inch (0.5 cm) head space and a two-piece metal lid with a secure vacuum seal. Sealed lids curve downwards and do not move when pressed in the centre. Wax seals should not be used under any circumstances and entries will be disqualified.
   2. The exhibitor must send two (2) jars of pickles for each entry. Pickle Exhibits must be packed in 500mL mason jars, with a 1/2-inch (1cm) head space and a two-piece metal lid with a secure vacuum seal. Relish and Salsa Exhibits must be packed in 250mL mason jars Sealed lids curve downward and do not move when pressed in the centre.
   3. All entries must be labeled clearly with the list of fruits, nuts, spices, or vegetables used. (Labels are not considered in the judging process). Due to the potential for allergic reactions, all products, which include nuts, must be labeled with the nut(s) used.
6. Honey
   1. Honey products will be judged in accordance with the scale of points indicated in each section. The decision of the judges shall be final.
   2. In classes for liquid and granulated honey, an exhibit shall consist of three (3) 500-gram (375 ml) jars. If an exhibit arrives at the RAWF with one of the three jars broken, the remaining two jars will be judged as an exhibit. An exhibit that consists of only two jars shipped will be disqualified from judging.
7. Maple
   1. Maple syrup exhibits shall consist of two (2) Curved Kent Type glass bottles of maple syrup, each having a capacity of 250 mL (U.S. 8.5 oz). Brown or black caps only to be allowed on 250 mL Kent syrup bottles. No gold, white, or red caps, points will be deducted.
   2. Maple syrup that tests less than 66.0 Brix or higher than 68.9 Brix, as determined by a refractometer, or a syrup brix hydrometer with temperature correction to obtain the true density, will be disqualified.
   3. All maple syrup should have a flavour characteristic of its respective colour class and be free from any objectionable odour or taste. It is best to sample from the same lot before submitting your entries to The Royal.
   4. Any maple syrup entry containing any form of foreign material will be disqualified from the competition. Please check your syrup for clarity before submitting your entries.
   5. Maple syrup and maple products will be judged under the guidelines of the North American Maple Contest Judging Guidelines as used by the International Maple Syrup Institute (IMSI).
8. Seed Art Display
   1. Create an artistic display using grains and seeds to depict a picture of nature in your community. Please submit a copy of the inspiration picture with your entry.
   2. Display is to be mounted on a wooden base. Size not to exceed 18” x 24” (46cm x 61cm).
   3. Displays must be the work of the exhibitors. NO KITS allowed. One piece submitted on behalf of each class.
   4. Each display must feature a minimum of 3 different varieties of seeds and grains. Where possible, aim to include seeds that have been grown in your school’s garden.
   5. Seeds that may be included are Corn, Oats, Barley, Wheat, Soybeans, Rice, Flax seed, Split Peas, Dried Beans, Timothy, Clover, Millet, Trefoil, Grass seed, Poppy seed, Sesame, Sunflower, Pumpkin seed, any type of Vegetable seed such as Lettuce, Beets, Carrots, Quinoa, Amaranth and Pearl Barley. Spices such as Celery seed, Mustard seed, Parsley, Anise, Dill seed, Peppercorns and Cumin seed are also permitted.
   6. The seed, grain or plant materials may be coloured prior to application to the display board. *Painting, colouring, or tinting materials after attaching to the board will result in disqualifications.
   7. Seed Art will be judged based on originality, technique, adherence to guidelines, and uniqueness.
   8. All entries must be labeled clearly on the back/ bottom of the display board with exhibitor’s number and a list of all seeds/ plant materials used.
9. Pollinator Plant Art
   1. Create a 2-Dimensional art piece resembling a field using native wildflowers and plants that have been pollinated in Ontario.
   2. Art is to be created on an 18” x 24” photo mat (46cm x 61cm), with a 12” x 18” opening (30cm x 46cm).
   3. An example of a photo mat may be found here: Link
   4. One piece may be submitted on behalf of each class.
   5. Some species that may be included in the project are Milkweed, Coneflowers, Wild Bergamot, Canada goldenrod, Fireweed, Black-eyed Susan, Purple-stemmed Aster, Wild Strawberry, Butterfly weed, Cardinal flower and Ragweed. All non-invasive, pollinator friendly, Ontario-native flowers and plants are acceptable.
   6. Species must be dried and pressed prior to mounting.
   7. Species may be traced or impressed as part of the art.
   8. Plant Art will be judged off presentation, variety, and creativity.
   9. All entries must be labeled clearly on the back/ bottom of the project with exhibitor’s number and a list of all flowers/plants used.

Please Note: Entries will be automatically disqualified:

• if fruit(s), nut(s) and/or vegetable(s) used are not listed on the label

• if they are received with visible exhibitor names or decorative labels

• if a secure vacuum seal is not readily apparent (all entries are tested for seals prior to judging).

• if the wrong type of jar or jar size or closure is used

• if the caps, lids or screw bands appear to be rusty

• if any evidence of mould or yeast growth is apparent

• if entries are received without proper exhibitor, section and class identification

• wax seals should not be used under any circumstances

In order to set exhibitors up for success, The Royal recommends that they visit Bernardin's How to Guide online: http://www.bernardin.ca/en/beforeyougetstarted.htm