Celebrate - Montana's Best

Best of machine quilting

"Since 1902, the Flathead Valley has celebrated the talents and  interests of its residents with an annual celebration of the season.  With our heritage in agriculture and our focus on the youth of the valley, the tradition of the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo continues today as the largest gathering in the region."  Official Program by the Flathead Beacon

As I reflected on our visit Saturday to the Fair, I could not have summarized it better myself!!!  Creativity ... Young kids showing off their hard work - from animals to photography to crafts ... Education for the community ... Fair food .... Beauty ... Summer fun ....  I love the Fair!

As you all know, I am partial to flowers, so I found the "Angie's Greenhouse" display at the fair entrance serendipitous!!  I felt welcomed, that's for sure!

The Draft Horse Show drew my interest, and we were rewarded with an education in draft horse breeds - for example, did you know that the Gypsy Vanner is a relatively new breed that was brought to North America from Great Britain in 1996?  The breed comes in various colors and is often recognized by the abundance of feathering (hair) from the knees down.  The genetic origins of the breed include Shire, Clydesdale and native British ponies such as the Dales.   The Vanner is known for its kind and generous personality.  The word 'vanner' refers to 'being able to pull a caravan.'

Nearby, in the Expo Pavilion, we admired the craft of the 4-H clubs, the quilt-makers and the pie bakers (we envied the judges of the pie competition - they were busy tasting 20 apple confections.  How can we get that job?)

4-H - Wow!  Bottom two pictures are from a chess set

Since we hadn't landed the pie-judging gig, we did the next best thing - ate some fair food!

Vikings on a Boat -

meatballs, mashed potatoes,

gravy and red cabbage

Of course, a Fair is a petting zoo on steroids – a delight for the young and old alike.  We caught part of the rabbit judging for youngsters who looked to be 4 to 8 years old.  When asked what he liked best about his rabbit, one young man said “He likes to escape.” 

The next barn bore a “Floriculture” sign, and inside we found a paradise of dahlias and gladioli.  My favorites?  The dahlia with the cream background and the pink tips and the glad with the pink background and yellow tongues.  I must be in a pink sort of mood!  Which ones strike your fancy?

 

Next year, we’ll plan ahead and get tickets for the demolition derby or the rodeo.  In the meantime, we made do, strolling among the carnival rides and reminiscing about the times our kids tackled them all.  Oh, and about the goldfish that came home with us, swimming slow circles in a plastic bag.  It’s all part of summer fun at the Fair!


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