The 25th annual Lakeside Community Club Fair is this Saturday at Lakeside Elementary School and you, your friends and family are all invited. Organized jointly by the Lakeside Community Club and West Shore Visitors Bureau, the day of festivities will feature a race, fair, parade and many other activities and novelties you won’t want to miss.
The event is organized every year to raise money for charitable and other organizations in the Flathead Valley, and last year’s fair raised $27,798. Some of the organizations to benefit were Somers Rural Fire Department, Flathead Animal Shelter Friends and Hope Pregnancy Center.
The theme of this year’s fair is “Shore Party,” and there are events, both new and old, to attract every age and disposition.
Morning Events
Early risers can enjoy a pancake breakfast at 7 a.m., followed by a 5K or 10K footrace at 9 a.m. and the Lighthouse Loop distance swim at 10 a.m. The 10K run and loop distance swim are both new additions, and there will be prizes for the top finishers and a raffle for all participants. If you’re still digesting your pancakes, you can skip the run and go straight to the fair, which opens at 9 a.m. and features a panoply of different vendors and items.
The Fair
The silent auction is unique and in many ways the centerpiece of the fair. An array of different items – all donated by community members and companies – are laid out, and you write down how much you would be willing to pay for them. At 2 p.m. whoever has written the highest number on the tag becomes the new owner. According to Deb Newell, president of the Lakeside Community Club, they have everything from murals to furniture – so much in fact, that “I wonder if anybody has anything left in their closets,” she said.
There are also “Attic Treasures” and gift certificates donated from local companies, which can be bought without going through the agonies of a silent bidding war. If you’re hungry again, there will be many different food options at the fair and a bake sale for those with a sweet tooth.
Afternoon Activities
One of the most exciting additions to this year’s event is the “Kid’s Zone,” which will be funded by the West Shore Visitors Bureau. Newell said. “We’ve never had much for the kids, so it’s fabulous that they’re taking this on.”
For $1, children gain access to four hours of fun, including a dunk tank, mini golf, a bouncy house and even pony rides.
If you miss out on the run and swim in the morning, you can head over to the volleyball tournament at 3 p.m., to participate or just cheer the contestants. It will be followed at 4 p.m. by the famous duck race at the Tamarack Alehouse, where you can bet on your favorite plastic duck and carry home fabulous prizes if yours wins.
To end the day with culture, fun and yet more food, the West Shore Visitors Bureau is organizing a Polynesian-themed Lakeside Lua and pig roast at 6 p.m. in the town center. The dance is free and open to the public, but you’ll have to get in line early to buy your helping of the roasted pig.
Newell has been planning the event since January, and with more than 50 volunteers helping, she’s confident the annual Lakeside Community Club Fair will celebrate its quarter century in style.
“We have a lot of new, exciting additions to the fair this year,” she said. “And I hope we can get as many people as possible to come celebrate the Lakeside community with us.”
For a complete schedule of activities, or to donate or set up your own booth at the fair, please visit http://www.lakeside-community-mt.com/Annual_Fair.html.