Renovations, new events will greet fair-goers
By MEGAN STRICKLAND
for the Lake County Leader
The tradition of the Lake County Fair is longstanding, and while many other county fairs in Montana have opted over the years to have carnivals or other modern attractions, fair administrators have long boasted that the fair that visits Ronan each year is still reminiscent of the first one held decades ago. It is all about the local 4-H members and open class participants who have brought their agriculture-based projects
“It’s a family-friendly event,” Fair Manager Tim Marchant said.
The old-fashioned good time with still be at hand this year, though Marchant says there are a lot of improvements and new events that folks won’t want to miss.
One of the biggest improvements is that the horticulture barn has been completely renovated. A long list of contributors are listed in this year’s Fair Book.
“A lot of work has gone into that,” Marchant said. “A lot of work was done by the whole community.”
Twenty years ago the barn was the Ronan School bus barn, and the buses were rolled out for each and every fair, Marchant said. Since that time the barn has been fully integrated into the fairgrounds, and is home to winter baseball and shooting sports practice. In addition to the recent interior renovations, the roof was completely redone, Marchant said.
“It’s a really nice facility,” Marchant said. “We recently had a wedding here.”
In addition to the barn renovation, the entranceway is now cobbled with stones that are firmer and easier to walk on than the worn dirt patch that sometimes was prone to puddling in wetter years. The area around the entranceway has also been landscaped by the fair grounds crew.
“It looks nice,” Marchant said.
The fair grounds have expanded to the north in recent years to include a petting area for goats, sheep, llamas, and other animals.
The large animals checked into the Fair on Tuesday afternoon and judging will be complete by the Market Livestock Show, which begins at 7 p.m. on Thursday and the Buyer’s Appreciation Dinner at 5:30 p.m. The 4-H Ambassador’s Dance will follow the show. A talent show that is open the the public and the small fry stock show will take place at 5 p.m.
“We welcome anyone who wants a little practice, wants a little stage time there on the stage,” Vincent said. “It is wide open. Anybody can enter.”
On Friday, there will be a new event in which 4-H participants dress themselves and their animals in a costume.
“In the places that they’ve done it, it’s so cute, and it’s a ton of fun to watch,” Vincent said.
This year is the first in many in which the end of the fair does not coincide with the start of Ronan Pioneer Days, so the Fair Board has worked to bring a slate of weekend events to the rodeo arena, which also has seen some improvements.
A Ranch Rodeo will be held on Saturday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. The rodeo is free to the public. “It’s real cowboys who are coming to do their ranch stuff,” Marchant said.
Fair Board Chair Sjaan Vincent was very excited for the addition.
“This ranch rodeo, it’s so brand new,” Vincent said. “There’s not another one happening in the valley.
We have 10 teams of the local ranchers vying for the top ranch team. It’ll be fun.”
A steak dinner will follow the rodeo, catered by the Valley Club. The Club will also have drinks on sale for an arena dance that will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Music will be provided by Exit 53, a band from eastern Montana. There will be separate grandstands for those who opt to drink and those who opt to enjoy the rodeo sober, according to Marchant.
At 11 a.m. on Sunday, National Barrel Horse Association barrel races will be held. Ladies breakaway roping will also be held at 4 p.m.
“It’s a whole slate of events for the weekend. It’s going to be really exciting. We are really looking forward to it,” Vincent said. “It’s always fun to see the results of these kids’ hard work. They’ve worked all year.”