The fundraiser for the all-volunteer Creston Fire Department has grown into one of the region’s largest events as thousands of treasure hunters descend on Creston to participate in the annual Creston Auction & Country Fair.
This year, the bar is high as the organization sets its fundraising goal at $45,000. The reason for the goal, according to Julie Lang, one of the auction’s organizers, is the acquisition of an old modular classroom from the Bigfork school district that would provide classroom space for indoor fire and medical training.
Friday, April 1, is consignment day. Doors are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Creston School grounds where sellers can deliver merchandise. Saturday, April 2, the grounds open at 8 a.m. and auctions begin at 9 a.m. continuing until everything sells.
Rummage sale items are set up in the school gym and arts and crafts booths are at Eastside Grange Hall. Big-ticket items are auctioned on Sunday, April 3. Doors open at 9 a.m. and the auction starts at noon.
“It really is a community event,” said Laing. “The focus of it is two fold. One, it’s a fundraiser for the fire department and two, for the community itself. Creston doesn’t have a city center and this is a big opportunity for the community to get together.”
According to Laing, every year she is surprised by what people bring to sell.
“The only thing you can predict is that everyone will find something they want to take home,” she said.
How to get there: From downtown Kalispell, take U.S. Highway 2 East. Continue straight onto State Highway 35 toward Bigfork. The Creston School is on the north side of the highway after approximately 11 miles.