2023 SANDERS COUNTY FAIR

There's no way to tell how many people attended the Sanders County Fair, since it's one of the few free admission fairs in the state, but it was wall to wall people Saturday and Sunday.

"It's just been wonderful," said Randy Woods, chairman of the Sanders County Fair Commission, who roamed the fairgrounds throughout the week. He wasn't sure how Sunday would pan out after heavy rains hit early in the morning, but once it cleared, people showed up in droves. Woods said they might have had record crowds Saturday and Sunday, evidenced by the filled parking lots, which displayed numerous plates from Washington, Idaho, Oregon and throughout Montana.

Woods said that a dozen vendors failed to show, but he added there were still a wide variety of food, drink and commercial vendors for people. The Sanders County Concessions Group was down to one and a half booths, a huge reduction from years past, but Don Burrell, the organization's president, said business was fair.

Though there continued to be complaints about the price of the carnival tickets, most of the rides were busy all week, especially Saturday and Sunday. The biggest criticism of last year's fair was the ride cost, the lines and that two of the popular rides broke down. Paradise Amusements had 16 rides, including two new ones, and five game booths this year and had a locals night price reduction on Thursday evening. In addition, Jim Newman of the fair board gave away 100 free carnival ride tickets on Thursday.

The fair had 1,376 open class entries this year in numerous divisions in arts, crafts, sewing, vegetables, fruits, foodstuffs, and flowers. Numbers were lowest in the animal divisions, but 3-year-old Fay Garrison of Trout Creek smiled her way through her first open class sheep contest with 8-month-old "Purple," netting her a blue ribbon and a big applause from the crowd. Crystal Chenoweth of Trout Creek had the biggest bunnies at the fair with her two blue Flemish giants, "Stormy," at 15 pounds, and 11-week-old "Hopalong" at six pounds. Stormy was one of 11 rabbits in the open class competition and took overall Grand Champion.

Charlie Gray of Plains didn't take his animals to the fair for awards, but it gave visitors a chance to see Texas longhorns up close. Gray had five longhorns from his Two Heart Bar Ranch of Plains during the fair for people to pet. "People just love these big ole things," said Gray, who has transported his animals to the fair for the last 12 years.

Flower entries were down this year, according to Sarah Ball of Thompson Falls, who's in her third year as the floriculture barn superintendent. However, Jim Sadler, the flower judge again this year, said there were a lot of quality flowers in the show. There were more than 150 flower entries from a small bachelor button by Sheila Hull of Plains to a 40-inch long "Love-Lies-Bleeding" flower by Plains resident Hannah Dirks.

Horticulture superintendent Sherry Hagerman-Benton had 210 entries this year, which she believes is up from 2022. One was the biggest pumpkin she's had in a dozen years, said Hagerman-Benton, the superintendent for 16 years. Ten-year-old John McNamara took Best of Division with his 25-inch wide and 29-inch tall pumpkin. Hagerman-Benton had two youth scarecrow entries this year. Plains resident Forrest Rogers took first place with "Croger the Crow" and John Lindsay of Plains took second with his "Astronaut Scarecrow." Elizabeth Riffle of Thompson Falls, formerly the floriculture barn super, served as the fruit and vegetable judge for the first time.

It took Merrill DeGroot of Belgrade more than six hours to get through the 296 culinary entries in 16 divisions - most that involved tasting - on Thursday, with jams and jellies being the biggest lot this year. Superintendent Lisa Kinser said she usually has two judges, but one failed to show. DeGroot tasted a myriad of goods from brownies to stew and said she probably wouldn't need dinner that day.

The open class competition also featured nearly 70 quilts and knitting projects from Plains resident Lara Hagerman's set of baby stockings to a large center panel quilt by Jackie Mustain of Thompson Falls. Presley Cox of Trout Creek took Best of Division among nearly 100 photographs in the show. There were almost 50 entries in the arts and crafts division from a 4-inch tall carving of a wooden rabbit by Karen Ryan of Plains to a large wall hanging latch hook rug by Cletus Jacobson of Thompson Falls. Justin Martin of Plains nabbed a Best of Division with his near four-foot tall wine barrel and rack in the professional class. There were also around 50 entries in the children and youth competition, including a rainbow dinosaur by Rocklynn Roy and a Great Plains tipi by Riley Montgomery, both of Plains.