Flower power

Sharon Askelson has seen a lot of changes in her native Flathead Valley over the years.

She remembers a time when life was simpler here. It was a time when the Sears catalog store was the retail hub of Kalispell, wide open fields connected each little town and everyone seemed to know everyone.

While the Sears catalog store has gone the way of rotary telephones, some things haven't changed. The Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo remains a place where community members gather to connect with each other.

“The fair is a nice place to see people and visit,” said Askelson. “You see people you don't get to see on a regular basis.”

As the assistant superintendent of the Dahlia and Gladiolus Show, Askelson spends many hours at the fair organizing exhibits and educating the public about all things floral.

She is also a prolific exhibitor. In past years, Askelson has entered up to 100 entries in the fair, including candy, cookies, crafts and photographs.  But she's best known for her rose entries.

Last year she was named Exhibitor of the Year. Askelson also won the coveted exhibitor award in 2011. It’s an award given to the person who wins the most blue ribbons in any five or more open-class departments. The winner is not eligible to win the award again for two years.

“I started doing rose shows about 40 years ago,” she recalled. “I won some blue ribbons and got hooked.”

Askelson’s blooms have been a mainstay at the Northwest Montana Fair almost ever since. Her floral arrangements and bouquets turn the Floriculture Building into a colorful oasis.

“I just gather up everything I can and bring them in,” she said.

Askelson also encourages others to enter their exhibits and helps out friends who have difficulty getting to the fairgrounds by bringing their exhibits in for them.

“The more flowers we can get into the building, the better,” she said. “I want people to know there are many different kinds of flowers out there besides just petunias and marigolds. I like to see variety in people's gardens.”    

Askelson introduced her niece to gardening when she was just 2 years old. 

“Gardening is good for kids,” she said. “It keeps them out of trouble.”

Today her niece is a successful interior designer, and Askelson believes her early experiences with arranging homegrown bouquets influenced her sense of design.

“It feels good to know that I may have influenced her,” she said.

According to Fairgrounds Manager Mark Campbell, people such as Askelson are not only the salt of the earth, but also the salt of the fair.

“The fair is about people who are passionate about what they do and are committed to making our community the best it can be,” he said. “People like Sharon are integral to the success of the fair.”

Askelson invites everyone to stop by the Floriculture Building and see what's blooming.

The Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo runs Wednesday through Sunday at the Flathead County Fairgrounds, with a theme of “Stirrup Some Fun.”

For more information about events or to purchase tickets for the concerts, rodeo or demolition derby, visit www.nwmtfair.com.