2025 Western Montana Fair Exhibitor Guide

Lake Bottom Bash

WESTERN MONTANA FAIR | AUGUST 5-10, 2025

Do your cookies disappear? Bring them to the Fair and get some dough. Don’t hide that doodle in a drawer, hang it for hard currency. Do you love recycling and repurposing? Turn that flip into fortune. This year’s Fair offers dozens of new ways to participate. If you find the number of new options daunting, seek assistance from one of the Fair’s partners now hosting how-to classes.

For almost 150 years, the Fair rewards the willing with cash and glory. Challenge your family and friends. Fill their summer dreams with fame and accomplishment. It’s risk-free, no entry fees (excluding livestock).

You don’t have to be the best to find out you are the best! The Fair is meant for amateurs discovering their own success. To ensure Fair-ness, non-livestock departments are now divided into six equal divisions based on age and ability and an additional division for group entries.

2025 Western Montana Fair Exhibit Handbook

Featured

Departments 10-100 | 4-H & FFA

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 1 | View the 2024 4-H / FFA Exhibitor Handbook. Complete with calendar of events and a link to online entry system.

Department: 102-Beef | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE AUGUST 5 | Breeding – Purebred • Breeding – Crossbred • Open Market • Showmanship • Angus • Hereford, Miniature • Hereford, Standard • Maine-Anjou • Saler • Shorthorn • Simmental • Variety, other registered breed • Crossbreed, Standard • Crossbreed, Miniature • Open Market • Showmanship • Bottle Babies

Department: 103-Dairy Cattle | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 11 | Ayrshire • Brown Swiss • Grade Dairy Cattle • Gernsey • Holstein • Jersey • Milking Shorthorn

Department: 104-Goats | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 11 | Alpines • Grades • LaManchas • Nigerian Dwarf • Nubians • Oberhaslis • Saanans • Toggenburgs • Angora • Angora, Colored • Boer/Boer Cross • Cashmere • Other Meat Goats • Pygmy Does • Pygmy Wethers • Pygora

Department: 107-Poultry | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 17 | Standard Poultry • Bantam Poultry • Ducks • Geese • Turkeys • Ornamental Birds • Pigeons • Youth Show

Department: 108-Rabbits | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 11 | Single open class breeder show • A.R.B.A. Sanctioned - includes rabbits that meet the American Rabbit Breeders Association standards • A special award of $50.00 will be awarded to the exhibitor with the most show points, provided there are at least 50 pens shown in the open class section.

Department: 109-Sheep | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 11 | Icelandic • Hampshire • Other purebred breeds • Suffolk • Crossbreds • PeeWee Show

Department: 120-Agriculture & Urban Farming | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE AUGUST 1 | Grains, Forage, Hay • Tallest, Largest, Oddest Shape • Vegetables • Fruit • Honey • Eggs • Container Grown Vegetable or Fruits • Wool • Favorite Flower, Herbs and Containers • Garden Exhibits • Scarecrow Contest

Department: 121-Creative Arts | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 26 | Creative Re-use • Fine Art • Photography • Writing & Poetry

Department: 122-Culinary Arts | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE AUGUST 2 | Brews, Bubbly & Wine • Dried, Canned, Fermented and Preserved • Breads • Cakes • Cookies • Candy • Pies • Refrigerated Items

Department: 123-Fabric & Fiber Arts | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 26 | Crochet • Embroidery • Handspun Natural Fiber • Knitting • Macramé • Quilting • Rugs • Sewing • Tatting • Textile Painting & Dying • Upcycled Fashion • Visible Mending • Weaving & Basketry • Felting

Department: 124-Hobbies & Crafts | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 26 | Antique & Vintage Items • Collecting • Home & Party Décor • Fly Tying • Models & Assemblies • Scrapbooking • Handmade • Paper Arts • Side Hustle • Apothecary & Aromatics

Department: 125-Industrial Arts | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 26 | Jewelry Making • Leatherwork • Metal Works • Glass Works • Tole Painting • Wood Works • Gems & Minerals

Department: 126- Indigenous Arts | Open

ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 26 | Traditional: Beadwork • Leather • Quilt • Textiles • Dimensional | Contemporary: Painting • Sculpture • Drawing • Ceramics/Pottery • Mixed Media

Department: 150-Missoula Garden Club Show

ENTRIES CLOSE AUGUST 5 | The Online Entry System is not available for Floriculture entries. Paper entry tags will be available in the Floriculture Building starting Monday, August 5.

Department: 151-Country Fair Show

ENTRIES CLOSE AUGUST 5 | The Online Entry System is not available for Floriculture entries. Paper entry tags will be available in the Floriculture Building starting Monday, August 5.

Department: 152-Gladiolus Show

ENTRIES CLOSE AUGUST 8 | The 2024 NAGC Classification List will be used in placing all entries. This is not an NAGC sanctioned show but will be judged according to the NAGC requirements.

Department: 153-Dahlia Show

ENTRIES CLOSE AUGUST 10 | The current edition of the American Dahlia Classification and Handbook of Dahlias shall be used for the description of the dahlia exhibits.

Department: 154-Rose Show

ENTRIES CLOSE AUGUST 11 | The Rose Show is co-sponsored with the Missoula Rose Society, an affiliate of the American Rose Society.