Talent show, concert contribute to fair’s fun
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Following a few days of 4-H judging, the Lake County Fair added singing and dancing to its repertoire this year, spicing up Friday and Saturday nights with a brand new talent show, a concert by Rob Quist Great Northern Band and Tim Ryan, and a spur of the moment barn dance.
“The girl who stole the show was Olivia Hewston,” Lake County Fair Secretary Roxanne Hovenkotter said of Friday night’s talent show.
Olivia, 10, of Polson sang the traditional American folk song, “Shenandoah” and took home a grand prize of $100.
“She was so good she made people cry,” Hovenkotter added.
The other two winners were Texas native Wesley Hale, who won second place, and Olivia’s sister Madeline Hewston, who took third with her violin solo.
About 300 people attended Saturday’s concert, which was advertised in local papers and on the radio. 4-H participants enjoyed a last minute barn dance put on by the 4-H ambassadors.
Tried and true, the previous year’s events also attracted a slew of locals, eager to support hard-working 4-Hers and volunteer their time.
“I have done this for five or six years and (the livestock sale) was the biggest turnout I’ve seen,” Hovenkotter said.
Many local businesses attended Thursday’s auction and purchased livestock at the show.
As it does every year, the fair requires a great deal of work and dedication from local community members and hundreds of volunteers.
“It couldn’t function without their help,” Hovenkotter explained.
With 197 kids entered, the fair was supplied with a plethora of parents’ willing hands, volunteering in the concession stand, tending to plants or acting as building superintendents.
Hovenkotter was impressed with the dedication of the volunteers throughout the fair and afterward during the cleanup.
“By 5 p.m. everything was put away,” Hovenkotter said. “It was amazing. People just pitched in.”
Additional cleanup that will continue throughout the week includes tent removal, stall cleaning and getting all the ends and outs back to normal.
After such a successful event there’s not a lot they will change for next year.
“It was an absolute joy,” Hovenkotter said.
