Phillips County Museum News for Wednesday, July 31, 2024

The ninth annual Phillips County Fair was held September 10 – 14, 1024. The first two days were entry days. According to newspaper accounts, there were more individual vegetable entries than ever before, and quality was 100% better. The livestock entries were up from previous years.

So much poultry was exhibited that extra pens had to be made to accommodate it.

The Malta Band and the Boy Scout Band from Chinook provided music throughout the fair.

Looss Carnival Company was on the grounds for three days. Lucille and Willie, a comedy sketch act provided entertainment in front of the Amphitheatre each day. A dance was held each night. Other events included horse races and rodeo events.

Native Americans in full regalia did regular performances as they had in past years. On Friday and Saturday night, a group from St. Paul’s Mission presented the “Passion Play”.

On Friday afternoon, the National Defense Day Committee gave a program on what a soldier goes through when he first enters the U.S. Army.

The 1924 Phillips County Fair was a huge success. An estimated 450 people attended the first day. Saturday, the biggest crowd in the history of the fair passed through the gates. Sunday’s attendance was greater than that of Friday and Saturday combined.

The Phillips County Fair has continued to take place every fall since the first one in 1916.

Even World War II did not stop the fair. Those years there were 4-H, FFA, and community displays, but no night shows or carnival. If possible, attend the longest continuously running fair in Montana and see everything residents of the county have proudly entered.

Stop by the Phillips County Museum to view historic items from the past. We are open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.