County fair to bring back fireworks show

The Sanders County Fairgrounds manager plans to make this year's Independence Day a big bash and the evening a bit more bright.

Manager Kristy Sheehan announced at last Wednesday's monthly fair board meeting that she has a lot of festivities planned for the fairgrounds first annual "Freedom Festival" starting at noon for the Fourth of July celebration, including fireworks at dusk. Sheehan and her new administrative assistant, Rachel Largent, have scheduled kids' games, pony rides, a bouncy house, bands, food and merchandise vendors, a mechanical bull, and a "clown on duty." There will also be a parade in Plains stepping off at 11 a.m. along Lynch Street.

The board authorized Sheehan to spend $2,000 on fireworks, but she could also accept donations to purchase more. There have not been fireworks at the fairgrounds, except individuals on the beachfront, since 2020, and before that it was 2014.

The meeting last week included the introduction of the board's newest member, Jolene Burke of Plains, replacing Kim McMahon, who recently resigned. The county commissioners selected Burke out of one other applicant from Plains, one from Trout Creek and one from Thompson Falls. Burke operates the Chase N Three Productions, a barrel racing business, and has been a Plains resident for about five years. Board member Ted Forkum was unanimously voted in as the board vice chairman, a position held by McMahon. Forkum has been on the board for four years. Derek VonHeeder of Plains was hired as a year-round part-time maintenance staff worker.

Sheehan reported that things are quickly shaping up for this year's fair, which takes place Aug. 28 to Sept. 1. She has about 50 vendors so far, and the grounds are filling fast. She has $40,000 worth of sponsors for the rodeo alone.

The board unanimously approved a parking contract for an Idaho group for $12,000, which is $2,000 more than last year. The fair fetched over $48,000 for parking during the fair two years ago. Though the board didn't have the numbers for last year, it's believed to be about the same or more. They approved a bid of $3,000 for the South Side Sparks 4-H club to be ticket ushers for the fair events. The board tabled the contact for security and search and rescue.

Sheehan told the board that they were shy about $2,000 to break even for this year's Plains Day weekend activities - team roping and barrel racing - but she believes it'll get better each year as word gets out. She also said they are getting a new flagpole in order to add the country's newest military branch, the Space Force, to the service flags that surround the American flag at the fairgrounds.

Juli Thurston, the Sanders County extension agent who runs the 4-H program, said the 4-H clubs are on track and excited for this year's fair. She said that the sheep and goat entries have more than doubled this year and they have scheduled a sheep and goat showmanship clinic at the fairgrounds on Tuesday, June 25, at 6 p.m.