PRCA Rodeo action
With over 100 years of tradition, the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo comes alive each year in Kalispell. From August 12 to 16, western Montana is treated to three nights of PRCA Rodeo action, two huge concerts, exciting carnival rides, and fabulous fair food.
Fair highlights include amazing local talents, the Livestock Show and Sale, and offerings from more than 100 commercial exhibitors. The heart of the Fair is over 6,000 hand-crafted, created, personally raised or grown exhibits showcasing the interests, talents, and passions of the region’s residents.
The Fair kicks off Tuesday, August 12 with a concert by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legend Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Famous for her raucous, three-chord guitar-playing and rebellious image, Joan Jett was a member of the all-female, teenage punk-rock band the Runaways in the 1970s. In the 1980s she branched off to become a successful solo artist. Known for breaking into a genre once off limits to women, her successful career has spanned decades. Eight albums by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts have been certified platinum or gold and the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 with nine Top 40 singles. They will take the stage at 8:15 p.m.
On Wednesday, August 13, country music fans are in for a treat when Scotty McCreery takes the stage. With his rich baritone vocals, he is an insightful storyteller. The 30-year-old has sold more than four million albums and achieved five consecutive No.1. After winning the 10th season of “American Idol” in 2011 at age 17, McCreery was named the ACM New Artist of the Year and won the CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year in 2012. The Copper Mountain Band, a local favorite offering high-energy country and classic rock, takes the stage at 7:15 p.m. and McCreery at 8:15 p.m.
The PRCA Rodeo runs August 14-16 and will feature world-class athletes from Canada and throughout the United States. Events include bareback, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding.
The fair closes Sunday, August 17 with a mud bog race with the Eureka Dune Runners. The show begins at 3 p.m.