Updates on the progress for planning for Montana Fair were announced at the end of last week by Manager Bill Dutcher. Fair organizers are attempting to produce the event in compliance with Health Department protocols for social distancing and hygiene practices that will minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Dutcher stated that as the biggest annual event in Montana,MontanaFair has been adapting, changing, and working hard to provide an Open and Safe fair in 2020. Physical distancing guidelines and capacity restrictions have required a lot of changes to this year’s event.
Physical changes at MetraPark are having a large impact on the way MontanaFair can operate, he explained. The impending removal of the Grandstands for safety reasons is the largest change. The Grandstands removal process will be halted and the work area fenced for MontanaFair.
When the removal decision was made, MontanaFair planned to move all Grandstand based night show entertainment—rodeos and Supercross—into First Interstate Arena. The pandemic put those plans on hold as 4-H and FFA livestock needed additional physically distanced space for their program. Putting animals in the arena removed any opportunity for these popular shows.
All major concerts, rodeo, and supercross are now officially canceled for 2020. Advance ValuPass ticket holders will have options to refund or roll over their tickets to another option beginning June 22.
MontanaFair is scheduled to begin August 7.
