Get ready to celebrate the centennial of MontanaFair, held Aug. 7-15, 2015 in Billings. MontanaFair is the region’s largest summer event: 10,000 people from Montana and neighboring states will earn prizes and ribbons for their exhibits, the Mighty Thomas Carnival will thrill young and old alike, and top-notch entertainment and food will abound throughout the grounds. Each evening features a ticketed headline event, and dozens of shows are free with gate admission.
Concerts and grandstand events
The centennial celebration, #100YearsOfFun, kicks off Friday, Aug. 7, with Los Angeles-based indie rock band Awolnation, whose hit single “Sail” is the second longest charting song in the Billboard Hot 100’s 55-year history. The band currently has two other songs in the Billboard U.S. Rock chart’s top 15: “I’m On Fire” and “Hollow Moon”. Awolnation is joined by New Politics, an alternative rock trio from Denmark. New Politics hit the scene in 2010 with a self-titled debut album that yielded the single “Yeah Yeah Yeah.” In 2013, the band released their sophomore album, which features hit singles “Harlem” and “Stuck On You.”
On Saturday, Aug. 8, legendary rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd returns with a fiery slice of Southern-style guitar rock. One of the most beloved bands of all time, Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to build on the legacy that began over 35 years ago in Jacksonville, Florida. The will be joined by Blue Öyster Cult, a hard rock band with powerful albums loaded with classic songs. Upon the release of BÖC’s self-titled debut album in 1972, the band was praised for its catchy-yet-heavy music and lyrics that could be provocative, terrifying, funny, or ambiguous, often all in the same song.
Country music star Martina McBride hits the stage on Sunday, Aug. 9 with Brett Eldredge. The Country Music Association named Martina McBride its Female Vocalist of the Year four times. To date, McBride boasts 20 Top-10 hits and six No. 1 smashes. Her hit records have included such enduring classics as “Wild Angels,” “Safe in the Arms of Love,” “Wrong Again,” and “A Broken Wing.” Country up-and-comer Brett Eldredge’s debut album Bring You Back features hit singles that climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart this past March. This year, Eldredge was the only country artist cited as one of People Magazine’s “Ones To Watch.”
Supercross will heat up the track at the grandstands on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Produced by the Billings Motorcycle Club, contestants will navigate a complex, twisting track and catch some big air. The Yellowstone River Roundup PRCA Rodeo will cap off the MontanaFair evening entertainment with performances on Aug. 13, 14, and 15 in the Grandstands. The Roundup has been honored for three consecutive years by the PRCA and WPRCA for continued improvements and the condition of the rodeo grounds.
Concert tickets are $45 and $35 for reserved seats, and $25 for general admission seating. SuperCross and Rodeo tickets are $28 and $25 for reserved seats, $18 for general admission, and $14 for kids 6-12 years-old. Gate admission for MontanaFair is $8 for adults, and $5 for kids 6-12 years of age or people 65 and older. A ValuPass is available for $55 until July 4 (and $59 after July 4), which includes general admission seating for each of the seven ticketed evening events plus gate admission for all nine days of MontanaFair.
All arena concerts and grandstand performances begin at 7 p.m. except Supercross, which begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at the MetraPark Box Office, Leslie’s Hallmark in Rimrock Mall, by phone at 800.366.8538, and online at MontanaFair.com and MetraPark.com.
Free Entertainment
- Two Way Crossing from Nashville rocks the Pond Stage this year. The pop-country couple and their band are rising in the music charts, and will keep the crowd dancing all night.
- Returning for their second year, a capella group Kazual performs their unique mix of R&B, Rock, and Pop daily on the Pond Stage. Kazual has opened for Destiny’s Child, Nelly, Ginuwine, and even made it to the top 40 on America’s Got Talent.
- Escape artist Lady Houdini performs dangerous stunts three times daily near the 4th Avenue Stage. She has broken Harry Houdini’s record for the most Water Torture Cell escapes ever performed.
- Hypnotist Michael Mezmer and comedic ventriloquist Jim Adams also appear on the 4th Avenue Stage, both of whom have won several awards and accolades for their colorful entertainment.
- Kachunga and the Alligator Show performs exciting educational skits in Kid’s World.
- The Bad Larry’s perform nightly on the Patio Stage. Their signature sound and extensive repertoire is fun enough for young kids and smart enough for adults.
- Mango and Dango wow the audience with breathtaking technical skills. This strolling act duo combines laughter and danger for a pas-de-deux of chance and circumstance.
- Marty Davis brings the color, excitement, and harmony of the singing cowboy era for one night only to the Community Stage.
For information about all events, please visit montanafair.com.