Preparation for the fair is a seven to eight week process of Peru State College students working with assigned elementary students at the local schools. The fair projects can address any aspect of the Social Studies curriculum. Projects can address current issues such as homelessness or more traditional topics such as the biography of a famous individual. Each project culminates in a student presentation to a panel of three judges. The student presentations are both visual and oral.
Elementary students prepare a display table and backdrop to accompany a five-minute presentation.
Elementary students videotape each presentation for later viewing at the evening reception. The evening after the fair, Peru State College students host an awards reception for the elementary students and their families. This provides an opportunity for parents to see all of the student projects and to view video's of individual presentations. The highlight of the evening is the presentation ceremony. At this time elementary students are awarded first, second, third, and fourth place trophies as well as medals for the best visual presentation and the best oral presentation.