The Creston Auction and Country Fair, April 4-6, is a sure sign spring has arrived in the Flathead Valley. A field is packed with the most unlikely treasures. Half a dozen auctions happen at once. Thousands of people donate, consign, and buy, as hundreds of volunteers make it all come together – all in support of one small, all-volunteer fire department.
The Creston Auction & Country Fair is the largest annual fundraiser for the Creston Fire Department and has been held in this small community 12 miles east of Kalispell on Hwy. 35 since 1966.
The funds raised by the Creston Auction, smaller fundraising events throughout the year, direct donations and in-kind pledges from local contractors and community members have brought Creston Fire and Friends of Creston Fire to almost a third of the goal for the Station 251 replacement fund. The fire department is just waiting on final state approval of the project and hopes to break ground this year.
Creston Fire has far outgrown its 1960-era fire station on Highway 35. The fire department’s 30-plus volunteers responded to 364 calls this past year. The station building itself barely accommodates modern fire apparatus and weekly training sessions. The replacement station will be a functional, low-maintenance public building with space for apparatus, offices, a training and community room, a kitchen and future staff quarters.
The Creston Auction takes place over three days. Here are some details for this year’s event:
- Friday, April 4, is Consignment Day and is the only day that consigned or donated items will be Items can be consigned, meaning a substantial portion of the sale price goes back to the seller, or donated, meaning all proceeds go to Creston Fire. Items will be accepted from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the sale grounds in Creston.
- On Saturday, grounds open at 7 a.m. and the general merchandise auction kicks off at 9 a.m., following opening ceremonies. Bid tickets for Saturday cost $10 and go on sale at 7 a.m. Attendees can purchase locally made art and handcrafts, rummage sale items, homemade baked goods, and food from local vendors.
- The Auto, Marine, RV & Equipment Sale begins at 11 a.m. Sunday. The day’s $10 bid tickets go on sale at 9 a.m.
- There is no entrance fee and no buyers’ premium. Bid ticket revenue goes entirely toward paying for 24-hour security.
- For more info, call 406-250-7396, visit the website or find Creston Auction on Facebook.