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Montana Fair Schedule 2026

Crowd walks through a Montana State Fair in Great Falls MTmidway at sunset, with a Ferris wheel, rides, and glowing signs.

Fair season in Montana runs from late June through early September, with carnival lights, 4-H barns, grandstand rodeos, and demolition derbies in towns across the state. Below is the full 2026 lineup, sorted by date, so you can find what's coming up next no matter when you're reading this, or jump straight to your region below.


Jump to a Month


June

Teton County Fair


July

July is the busiest month for county fairs in Montana, with fairs opening in every region of the state, from the Hi-Line to Southwest Montana.


Stillwater County Fair


Sheridan County Fair

  • Region: Northeast Montana

  • Location: Sheridan County Fairgrounds, Plentywood

  • Dates: July 16–18, 2026

  • More Info: sheridancountymt.gov/fair


Central Montana Fair

  • Region: Central Montana

  • Location: Fergus County Fairgrounds, Lewistown

  • Dates: July 14–25, 2026

  • More Info: cmtfair.com


Big Sky Country State Fair (Gallatin County Fair)


Great Northern Fair

  • Region: Hi-Line & North Central Montana

  • Location: Great Northern Fair Grounds, Havre

  • Dates: July 15–19, 2026

  • More Info: greatnorthernfair.net


Marias Fair

  • Region: Hi-Line & North Central Montana

  • Location: Marias Fairgrounds, Shelby

  • Dates: July 16–18, 2026

  • More Info: mariasfair.com


Park County Fair


Big Horn County Fair

  • Region: Southeast Montana

  • Location: Big Horn County Fairgrounds, Hardin

  • Dates: July 18–26, 2026

  • More Info: bhcfairhardinmt.com


Carbon County Fair


Montana State Fair

  • Region: Central Montana

  • Location: Montana ExpoPark, Great Falls

  • Dates: July 24 – August 1, 2026

  • More Info: goexpopark.com


Judith Basin County Fair


Richland County Fair & Rodeo


Phillips County Fair

  • Region: Hi-Line & North Central Montana

  • Location: Phillips County Fairgrounds, Dodson

  • Dates: July 30 – August 2, 2026

  • More Info: phillipscountyfair.com


Western Montana Fair

  • Region: Western Montana

  • Location: Missoula County Fairgrounds, Missoula

  • Dates: July 31 – August 8, 2026 (Machine weekend July 31–Aug 2, Muscle weekend Aug 4–8)

  • More Info: missoulacountyfairgrounds.com


August

August closes out fair season for several regions, including Northeast Montana, Southeast Montana, and the Flathead Valley in Western Montana.


Broadwater County Fair

  • Region: Southwest Montana

  • Location: Broadwater County Fairgrounds, Townsend

  • Dates: August 6–9, 2026

  • More Info: townsendfairgrounds.com


Northeast Montana Fair

  • Region: Northeast Montana

  • Location: Valley County Fairgrounds, Glasgow

  • Dates: August 4–8, 2026

  • More Info: northeastmontanafair.com


Montana Fair

  • Region: Southeast Montana

  • Location: MetraPark, Billings

  • Dates: August 7–15, 2026

  • More Info: montanafair.com


Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo

  • Region: Western Montana

  • Location: Flathead County Fairgrounds, Kalispell

  • Dates: August 12–16, 2026 (Rodeo starts at 7:30 PM)

  • More Info: nwmtfair.com


Choteau County Fair

  • Region: Hi-Line & North Central Montana

  • Location: Choteau County Fairgrounds, Fort Benton

  • Dates: August 13–16, 2026

  • More Info: chocofair.com


Eastern Montana Fair

  • Region: Southeast Montana

  • Location: Eastern Montana Fairgrounds, Miles City

  • Dates: August 19–22, 2026

  • More Info: facebook.com/easternmtfair


September

Labor Day weekend brings the last county fairs of the season to Western and Southwest Montana.


Ravalli County Fair

  • Region: Western Montana

  • Location: Ravalli County Fairgrounds, Hamilton

  • Dates: September 2–5, 2026

  • More Info: rcfair.org


Sanders County Fair

  • Region: Western Montana

  • Location: Sanders County Fairgrounds, Plains

  • Dates: September 2–6, 2026 (Labor Day weekend)

  • More Info: sanderscountyfair.com


Beaverhead County Fair

  • Region: Southwest Montana

  • Location: Beaverhead County Fairgrounds, Dillon

  • Dates: September 2–7, 2026 (Montana's Biggest Weekend, Labor Day week)

  • More Info: beaverheadcountymt.gov/county-fair


Have a favorite fair that we missed? We'd love to hear from you! Send us a note here or comment on Facebook or Instagram!

What to Expect at a Montana County Fair


Every fair has its own personality, but the bones are usually the same.

  • 4-H and FFA exhibits. Local kids spend a year raising livestock, baking, and sewing, and the fair is where they show it off.

  • Carnival rides and midway games. Most fairs bring in a traveling carnival for the week.

  • Rodeo and grandstand events. Expect PRCA rodeos, ranch rodeos, demolition derbies, and mutton bustin' for the little ones.

  • Live music and night shows. The bigger fairs, like the Montana State Fair and MontanaFair, book national touring acts.

  • Fair food. Funnel cakes, corn dogs, and whatever the local vendors are known for.


A Few Notes Before You Go

Fair dates and hours can shift as fair boards finalize schedules closer to summer. It's worth a quick check of each fair's website or Facebook page before you head out.

Eight fairs open within the same two-week window in late July. If you're hoping to catch more than one, you'll want to map it out ahead of time.


Many of these fairs also overlap with rodeo season. Pair this guide with Your Guide to Rodeos in Montana (2026) if you're planning a summer built around the arena.


Frequently Asked Questions


When is the Montana State Fair 2026?

The Montana State Fair runs July 24 through August 1, 2026, at Montana ExpoPark in Great Falls.


What Montana county fairs happen in July?

Most of Montana's county fairs fall in July, including Stillwater, Sheridan, Central Montana, Big Sky Country (Gallatin), Great Northern, Marias, Park, Big Horn, Carbon, Montana State Fair, Judith Basin, Richland, Phillips, and Western Montana Fair.


Which Montana fairs run over Labor Day weekend?

Sanders County Fair and Beaverhead County Fair both fall over Labor Day weekend in September 2026.


How do I find a county fair near me in Montana?

Match your area to one of six regions, Western Montana, Southwest Montana, Central Montana, Hi-Line and North Central Montana, Southeast Montana, or Northeast Montana, and check that region's fairs above.


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