The 2024 Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo kicks off Tuesday, Aug. 13, with a concert by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legend The Beach Boys, followed on Wednesday night by LOCASH and Niko Moon. Tickets to all grandstand events are available for purchase at the fair office and online at www.nwmtfair.com.
For more than six decades, The Beach Boys’ music has been an indelible part of American history. Their brilliant harmonies conveyed simple truths through sophisticated, pioneering musical arrangements and songs that conveyed youthful exuberance and surf culture.
Founded in Hawthorne, California in 1961, The Beach Boys were originally comprised of the three teenaged Wilson brothers: Brian, Carl and Dennis, cousin Mike Love and school friend Al Jardine. The band is now led by singer and critically acclaimed chief lyricist Mike Love, who, along with longtime member Bruce Johnston, musical director Brian Eichenberger, Christian Love, Tim Bonhomme, Jon Bolton, Keith Hubacher, Randy Leago and John Wedemeyer continue the legacy of the iconic band.
Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and recipients of The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY Award, The Beach Boys are a beloved American institution.
Reserved seating tickets are $55, and party pit tickets are $65. General admission tickets for everyone over the age of five are $45. Children age five and under will be admitted to the general seating area free of charge. All tickets purchased prior to arriving at the fair include admission to the grounds.
On Wednesday, Aug. 14, country music fans are in for a treat as LoCash and Niko Moon take the stage in separate performances. Dubbed “country music’s iconic feel-good duo” by People, the music duo consisting of Chris Lucas and Preston Brust are adding a new dimension to their hit-making career with the launch of their own record label – Galaxy Label Group.
Known for their Platinum breakout, “I Love This Life,” and Gold #1 “One Big Country Song” and “I Know Somebody,” LoCash has earned eight charting singles and nearly 800 MILLION global streams!
Chart-topping country artist Niko Moon’s first single “Good Time” went #1 on country radio and his other hits continue to climb the charts. Moon, a SESAC country songwriter of the year, has written eight #1 songs and more than 40 major record label cuts for artists such as Morgan Wallen, Avicii, Dierks Bentley, Pitbull, Zac Brown Band, Rascal Flatts and more.
Tickets for the LoCash and Niko Moon concert are $45 for reserved seating, $55 for the party pit and $35 for general admission seating for everyone over the age of five. Children under the age of five will be admitted to the general seating area free of charge.
Thursday, Aug. 15 is Senior/Kids Day at the fair. Seniors ages 65 and over and children ages 12 and under are admitted onto the fairgrounds free of charge that day.
The PRCA Rodeo runs Aug. 15-17 and will feature world-class athletes from Canada and throughout the United States aiming for the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Events include bareback, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding.
Reserved seating tickets are $35, and general admission tickets for everyone over the age of 12 are $30. General admission tickets for children ages six to 12 are $15, and children age five and under will be admitted to the general admission area free of charge. On Aug. 15 only, seniors age 65 and older can purchase a general admission ticket on the fairgrounds for $15 for that evening’s rodeo.
The Northwest Montana Fair closes Sunday, August 18 with a family-friendly Youth Rodeo in the Grandstand arena.
Along with all the grandstand events, fairgoers can take in performances by amazing local talent, explore the more than 100 commercial exhibitors’ booths and take in the Livestock Show and Sale. And, the true heart of the fair, the fair contests showcasing more than 8,000 entries of homemade, handcrafted, and personally raised or grown exhibits.
This year’s competitions include:
- King Arthur Flour Baking Contest
- Minute to Win it Contest
- Mutton Bustin
- Fair Photo Contest
- Great American Pie Baking Contest
A limited number of discounted “Pay-One-Price” tickets for the carnival at the 2024 Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo are on sale now at all Whitefish Credit Union branches, the fairgrounds office and the CHS store in Kalispell.
Purchased in advance, the tickets cost $30 each and can be exchanged at carnival ticket booths for a wristband that allows one person unlimited rides on most attractions for one day. The tickets can be used any one day of the carnival from Aug. 13 and are the lowest priced way to experience the rides. Fairgoers can purchase the tickets until 5 p.m. on Aug. 12 or while supplies last. Wristbands will also be available at all carnival ticket booths during the fair, but the price will be higher than the discounted tickets.
Admission onto the fairgrounds is a separate fee at the gate and costs $8 for adults and teens, $5 for seniors ages 65 and over, and $5 for children ages six to 12. Children ages five and under are admitted free of charge.
Fairgoers can save money by purchasing advance admission tickets until Aug. 16 or while supplies last at any Whitefish Credit Union branch in Kalispell, Columbia Falls or Whitefish during normal banking hours. Advance admission tickets are $5 per person, regardless of age.