Find treasures at the Creston Auction this weekend
Kathleen Bell looks through items at the 58th annual Creston Auction and Country Fair on Saturday, April 6. The event is the largest fundraiser for the Creston Fire Department and has been held since 1966. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
The Creston Auction & Country Fair, the largest annual fundraiser for the Creston Fire Department, continues to bring the community closer to a much-needed replacement for Fire Station 251.
This year’s event is April 4-6. Thousands of people will be donating, consigning, browsing and buying everything from antiques to boats and SUVs — all in support of this small, all-volunteer fire department in Creston.
The auction and fair take place in Creston, 12 miles east of Kalispell on Montana 35.
Consignment Day on April 4 is when consigned or donated items will be accepted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 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. Saturday early bid tickets will also be available for purchase.
On Saturday, April 5, grounds open at 7 a.m. and the general merchandise auction kicks off at 9 a.m., following opening ceremonies. Saturday’s $10 bid tickets go on sale at 7 a.m.
Attendees can also purchase locally made art and handicrafts, rummage sale items, homemade baked goods and food from local vendors.
The Auto, Marine, RV & Equipment Sale begins at 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 6. The day’s $10 bid tickets go on sale at 9 a.m.
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 for final state approval of the project and hopes to break ground this year.
Creston Fire has far outgrown its 1960-era fire station on Montana 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. On day one, volunteers unload vehicles and fill the auction grounds to burst with unlikely treasures. On day two, up to five wagons carrying auctioneers roll down the lanes and thousands of attendees raise their bid cards. Bidders compete for vehicles, boats and equipment on the final day.
There is no entrance fee or buyer’s premium. All bid ticket revenue pays for 24-hour weekend security.
For more info, call 406-250-7396, or visit crestonfire.org or find Creston Auction on Facebook.
The Creston Auction & Country Fair is sponsored by the Creston Fire Fighters Association.