Fort Belknap to Hold 4-H Fair in Lodge Pole
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From August 15-17, the MSU Fort Belknap Extension Office will be hosting the Fort Belknap 4-H Fair at Lodge Pole, Montana. Other hosts include the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council, the Wasay Wakpa Committee, the Nakoda Aaniiih Economic Development Corporation, and the Nakoda Aaniiih Credit Agency.
The fair will begin on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. with market animal weigh-ins. 4-H exhibit entries will be accepted from 5:00-7:00 that evening at the Wasay Wakpa Arena Grounds. According to Hillary Maxwell, MSU-Extension Agent for the Fort Belknap Reservation, the 4-H Club represented will be the Lucky Charms, which is actually a Phillips County club with eighteen members under the leadership of Jennifer Perez Cole.
“We are using the fair as a recruitment and outreach tool,” Maxwell explained. “We will have a sign-up table at the fair where we will collect information about joining this club or forming another. The Lucky Charms currently represent the eastern part of the reservation. Then, we will follow-up with October meetings in all of the reservation communities to provide additional information. Our main goal is to build other clubs while still adhering to the classic 4-H model.”
On Friday at 9:00 a.m., market livestock showmanship and judging will take place, with project interviews from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Among the exhibits will be baking, sewing, and cake decorating projects. At 3:00, a Barnyard Olympics will be held with both 4-H and public entries. Events will include shaving balloons
and hammering nails. To round out the day, all personal bidders and businesses are invited to the 4-H Livestock Auction at 6:30 on Friday evening when ten market hogs will sell.
“We invite everyone to come out and participate in the fair activities,” Maxell said. “We will also have someone available to give tours of the Community Garden,” she added.
In addition to the 4-H exhibits and related events, Friday will offer a full day of food, vendors, bouncy house entertainment, and other activities for the youth.
Finally, on Saturday beginning at 10:00 a.m., the Wasay Wakpa Youth Rodeo will hold its Summer Series Finals.
For more information regarding vendors, interested persons can contact Josie Cliff at 406-301-3005. There will be no charge for vendors. For answers to questions related to the 4-H exhibits and events, people are encouraged to call the Fort Belknap Extension Office at 406-353-2656.
