Fair board to bring back lights

The Sanders County Fair Commission voted unanimously to bring back the fair’s Christmas light show.

Board Chairman Randy Woods said that it’s too late for this year, and he’d like to decorate the fairgrounds for the 2020 holiday, but they need to first look at the cost. “I have looked at all the Christmas lights stored underneath the grandstands and most of the lighting is pretty weathered, cracked and damaged. The scenery stuff and the frames are all still good, but it all needs to be relit,” said Woods at last week’s monthly fair board meeting.

The board was prompted to take up the Christmas light issue after the manager, Melissa Cady, received an inquiry from Plains resident Kathy Warrington, who did an informal poll around town to find out if there was an interest in bringing the lights back.

Former fair manager Mike Hashisaki created the Christmas light show in the 1990s, not too long after starting his 25-year career as manager. He and caretaker Kim McNeil one year decided to convert the flag pole into a “Christmas tree.” Hashisaki said that each year the Christmas lights and figurine decorations grew until it was eventually a drive- and walk-through display, along with a special kickoff gala with Santa Claus, goodies and fireworks. For several years, Plains resident Warren Wickum delivered Santa to the fairgrounds in his one-horse sleigh, something he said he’d be happy to do again.

Woods said he’d like to see the Christmas lights again, but they would probably not reinstate the fireworks display, which cost an average of $1,500 a year. The Sanders County Fair Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to purchasing items that are not in the fair’s normal budget, paid for all the Christmas decorations in the past. The fair paid for the electricity for the two months the lights were illuminated. Hashisaki, a foundation member, believes it’ll cost about $5,000 to replace all the broken lights.

“We’ll do a small display the first year and if we decide to do it and move on as the years go on maybe add to it, but we need to look at those costs, too, and the power, that is one of the concerns,” said Woods. He added that they might have to rely on donations or fundraisers to get it done. Those who would like to donate money to the lights project can do so with a check to the Sanders County Fair Foundation, P.O. Box 1546, Plains, MT 59859, according to Kathy Gregg, the organization treasurer. She said that if a person wishes that their donation be set aside for the specific purpose of Christmas lights, they need to designate that on the check memo line or in a note with the check.

The commission chairman said at last week’s meeting that the Christmas lights drew thousands of people. “I know people in Hot Springs drove down here to see the lights and then their families would come to town and they drove them down here to drive through it,” said Woods.

McNeil said it was a popular destination for people from Sanders County, but regularly attracted people from Kalispell and Missoula. Hashisaki once saw Canadian plates and asked the driver if they were visiting someone, but the person said they came down just for the light show.

The fair has not had the light show since Hashisaki retired in 2015. The board cited cost and manpower. McNeil said it took a lot of time to get the lights up and ready for the season. He said it took he and Hashisaki about two months to get the lights in place, a job they used to start right after the fair. Hashisaki said they had help from volunteers one year. It was McNeil’s job to turn the display on and off each night, but Woods said they could install industrial timers for the lights.

Woods said that getting a group of volunteers to help put the lights up would be a good plan. Board member Kim Bergstrom said that there are about 60 4-H kids that might be a good source of volunteers.

“It was something people drove to Plains just to look at and they drove from a long ways away to drive through it. It wasn’t just a little condensed thing,” said Woods. “It might not be as grand as it was, but we can certainly start working on it and see where we’re at.”

“I am thrilled that they are going to have it again because as ‘The Christmas Song’ goes, kids from 1 to 92 love it,” said Warrington. “I talked to folks in Plains, Thompson Falls and Hot Springs, about 25 or more, and got offers for donations for fundraisers without even soliciting them,” said Warrington, who added that people told her stories of taking their kids and grandkids to see the lights and building memories.

The fair board approved four other agenda items last week, including a new three-year cleaning contract for fair time for $8,000 to Dixon resident Austin Gray, and a $12,000 contract to rent an electronic replay screen to be used during the rodeos and bull riding events.

The board gave Woods the green light to look into the purchase of a water tender for use during the rodeos, bull riding competitions and the demolition derby. In the past, the fair used a county tender, but had to pay the driver’s wages. In addition, it wasn’t always available when they needed it, said Woods, who will be looking at a used one in Missoula for just over $23,000.

The board also unanimously approved the contract hiring of Amy Gray of Hot Springs as the fair commission meetings “minute taker.” Gray has been doing the minutes since September. She also did it from January to June. Cady had a part-time assistant to do the minutes in July and August.