Grandstand rebuild a necessary investment

The Northwest Montana Fair’s main events are officially on. Get ready for some oldies but goodies with Rock & Roll Hall of Famers The Beach Boys, chart-topping country hits with LOCASH and Niko Moon, followed by four nights of intense rodeo action, all taking place at the fairground’s grandstand arena Aug. 13-18.

Fair organizers were anxiously awaiting the results of an analysis on the structural integrity of the grandstands prior to announcing these headline events last week. Thankfully, an engineering firm has deemed the grandstands to be safe and adequate to accommodate the hordes of fairgoers this summer. 

This is excellent news for Flathead County, which relies on revenue from grandstand arena events to maintain the fairground budget. It’s also a big deal for the valley. The fair and rodeo is not only an important community celebration, but it also delivers a significant economic jolt that local businesses rely on each summer.