There was a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at the Western Montana Fair on Wednesday, the first day of the event, to commemorate the tradition that began in 1897, and is still going strong in 2017, with free admission for the entire five day event.
The 2017 Western Montana Fair features free admission. Director of the Western Montana Fairgrounds Emily Bentley said the decision to offer free admission came from the Missoula County Commissioners.
Western Montana Fair officials are looking for ways to boost their attendance numbers. This year, they are starting a new tradition in hopes of reaching those goals.