When it comes to traditions in western Montana, few go further back than community members taking days off from their busy, daily lives and gathering to celebrate with rodeo, baked goods, quilts and good old-fashioned games.
In those respects, the Northwest Montana Fair is still as traditional as it ever was. But even the most time-honored events must adapt with the times if they want to survive, which is a lesson the fair has taken to heart.
Mark Campbell, fairgrounds manager for Flathead County, said his staff has been working on reaching out and connecting with people interested in the 2013 Northwest Montana Fair, which takes place from Aug. 14 to Aug. 18.
“We’ve been working for about four to five months to establish a presence out there (online),” Campbell said in an interview during the busy week preceding the fair. “We’re getting there; it’s a start and it’s been a great start.”
The fair has had an online presence when it comes to ticket sales for several years, but Campbell’s crew is more focused on social media sites and attracting eyeballs to the fair’s website, www.nwmtfair.com.
People look for information online; it’s a truth of our modern society. And having the fair’s information out there along with the ability to purchase tickets for various events allows the fair staff to have an idea of how many people are interested in what, and where those people hail from, which this year includes Florida, Minnesota, Canada and the East Coast.
“It’s a new way to do it and a more efficient way to reach out,” Campbell said.
Online ticket purchases also include entry passes, and that allows fair staff to use the time they would normally put toward selling passes to other use.
“What’s happening is that those people who are entering (with passes bought online) are helping us save time and be more efficient,” Campbell said. “It really has made life here for these last couple weeks easier.”
Growing a social media following has taken some time, he said, but that’s probably because most people don’t get fully interested in the fair until a week before it starts.
Right now, the fair’s Facebook posts consist of little tidbits of information about upcoming performances and new rides and vendors, along with some competitions for free tickets.
Campbell said hopefully those who follow the fair now will continue to pay attention to the postings throughout the year, because the fairgrounds offer plenty of activities and events the other 51 weeks of the year.
This year’s fair will likely have a slightly larger attendance than last year, if ticket sales continue the way they are headed, Campbell said.
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“Ticket sales are about 3 to 4 percent up from last year,” he said. “If you have consistent growth at a moderate amount, that’s more sustainable.”
Campbell noted that ticket sales for this year’s country act, Chris Young, are about 300 to 400 tickets ahead of where last year’s Rodney Atkins tickets sales were at this point.
That concert saw about 3,000 people. The Chris Young show is on Aug. 14, preceded on Aug. 13 with the Crusin’ the Oldies concert, featuring Shirley Alston-Reeves, the lead singer of the Shirelles; The Fleetwoods; Johnny Tillotson; and Brian Hyland.
Keeping concert-goers interested with a range of shows is one way to increase fair attendance, along with adding rides and games to the carnival. Another new addition this year will be an American Arm Wresting Association-sanctioned arm wrestling championship competition, taking place on Aug. 18. (See sidebar for more information.)
“We’d like to see that one become a normal program,” Campbell said.
Fair attendees will also see their favorite mainstays from the grandstands, including the Ram PRCA Rodeo on Aug. 15, 16 and 17, and the demolition derby on Aug. 18.
There are also plenty of exhibits and competitions to check out throughout the week, including the livestock show and sale, which bring in plenty of attendees. Because, even with all the new technological additions, the Northwest Montana Fair still has strong ties to its traditional roots.
For a complete schedule and a digital copy of the fair book, visit www.nwmtfair.com.