The annual Park County Fair gets better every year. While agriculture is still a large part of classic Montana fairs, this year's Park County gathering, the 59th, carries a bunch of events that have both rural and city influences.

The fair begins Wednesday, Aug. 8 and runs through Saturday, Aug. 11

It has something for everyone, every day and night, with dozens of 4-H, FFA and open class exhibits, a pig wrestling contest, a 4-H/FFA rodeo, food, arts, crafts, entertainment and much more.

Back at the fair this year is the popular Lou's Petting Zoo for children and Air Time inflatables, including the popular climbing wall, giant slide and bounce house.

Again this year is IGX interactive gaming, the sundown showdown, Blues Traveling Zoo, a cherry pit spitting contest and lots of live music.

On Sunday, Aug.12, at 1p.m., there will be a demolition derby.

Youngsters try to grab money off a rampaging calf during a Park County Fair event

For many Park County families, the fair is one of the biggest events of the year.

Entry day for 4-H is Wednesday, Aug 8 and for open events it's Thursday, Aug 9. Hundreds of country residents bring their livestock, produce, flowers, artwork and other entries to the fair to be judged.

The 54th annual 4-H and FFA rodeo is scheduled for the main arena Wednesday evening at 6.

Behind all the attractions are the 4-H, FFA and open class activities and competition barns filled with the youths' animals, which are shown and judged.

The youngsters' steers, lambs and pigs are sold to the highest bidder at the annual 4-H/FFA Livestock Auction, which will take place Friday, Aug 10 at 6 p.m. Other made in 4-H crafts will be auctioned off at this time.

Commercial vendors will bring their latest technologies on water softeners, home furnishing, computers, horse trailers, farm and ranch equipment and a host of other items to show at the main exhibit building and the display area around the fairgrounds.

A 4-H contestant gets ready to show her sheep at the fair.

Saturday evening at the 7:30, calcutta betting will start, and then at the rodeo arena will be made into a muddy mess for the famous, and always well-attended, 20th annual Shields Valley FFA Pig Wrestling Contest.

The Park County Team Roping Classic will be held at the fairgrounds rodeo arena July 28 and 29.

The event, usually held on one night, has been expanded to cover parts of two days, and organizers are expecting the best teams from the region to compete.

The Wild West Carnival will be set up with eight to 10 rides for all four days.

And all along, the 4-H kitchen will churn out delicious food, and "fair-type" food will be available near the main exhibit building.

In addition, there will be food contests aplenty.

The fair entrance fee is $1 a day or $3 for a four-day wrist band. The basic fair fee does not cover the entrance admission for some special events.

For advance reservations, write to the park County Fair, Box 146, Livingston MT 59047, or call (406) 222-4185.

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When you start to feel that nip in the air and the summer sun starts to set a little earlier each day, then the annual Old Settlers Days festival must be near.

The small town of Clyde Park, a farming and ranching community 21 miles north of Livingston on U.S. Highway 89, hosts the celebration, which includes a parade, foot race, arts and crafts show, barbecue, dance, talent show, and fun and games for all.

This year marks the 32nd annual Old Settlers Days.

The two-day festival will be held Sept. 8 and 9 in the scenic Shields Valley town, which has a population of about 335.

While the final schedule for the event-packed weekend is not yet available, the following is a rough outline of activities:

On Saturday morning, Sept. 8, a firefighter's breakfast will be held at 7 a.m., followed by a flea market, arts and crafts sale, and a quilt show. Then, at 11 a.m., the Old Settlers parade draws a crowd with clowns, horse-drawn carts, floats and music.

At noon, the annual ice cream social is usually held at the town's Methodist Church, with concessions and lunch there and at the local Catholic Church.

Several games will be sponsored throughout the afternoon. For the adults and children, there are a variety of activities, including a talent show.

The famous Cowchip Bingo is often held early Saturday afternoon.

The logging event, with chain-sawing, climbing, and axe-throwing, will be Saturday afternoon. Also on Saturday, a beef barbecue is usually held in the evening. To cap off the first day, there will be an evening dance for everyone. Held in the community center, the dance will run from about 9 p.m. to late into the night or early the next morning.

The Old Settlers Run will take place Sunday. The race will feature 2-mile and 6-mile runs. Walkers are also encouraged join the run. Participants in the event must be registered by 8:30 a.m. for the 9 a.m. start.

Also, some years on Sunday morning, a plastic duck race is held on the Shields River. Sunday at noon there will be a community potluck picnic, at which the parade grand marshals will be honored and prizes given away.

For more information call 686-4409.

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Sustainability Fair 2007, is set for Saturday, July 14, in Sacajawea Park near the band shell.

The fair, a project of the Corporation for the Northern Rockies, will feature more than 80 exhibitors promoting sustainable building designs and materials, wind and solar technologies, energy conservation methods, electric and hybrid vehicles, alternative fuels, hemp, local foods and meals, bamboo clothing, organic cotton and wool clothing, and natural skin and hair products.

The one-day fair runs from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free with a suggested two cans of food for the Livingston Food Pantry.

The film "Against the Current," about Paradise Valley farmers and trout, will be premiered at the fair.

Fair highlights include an interactive display about hybrid vehicle technology and alternative fuels, and a Green Transportation Show featuring electric vehicles, electric cars, electric scooters, bikes, biodeisel, flex fuel and ethanol vehicles.

There will also be green building and solar demonstrations.

In addition, fairgoers can learn about food storage techniques and the superior nutrition of eating locally and sustainably grown food, energy efficiency, straw bale construction, Leadership in Energy Efficient Design (LEED) buildings in Montana, how global warming is affecting Yellowstone National Park, and low-cost solar projects.

Children's activities, provided by the Montana Outdoor Science School, can be found in the Children's Pavilion.

Last year the fair drew more than 4,200 attendees from 41 states and 11 countries.

The Corporation for the Northern Rockies is an economic development nonprofit organization based in Livingston serving Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Its mission is to promote sustainable choices.

For more information, call the CNR at 222-0730, or visit its Web site at www.northrock.org/sustainability_fair.shtml.

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The city of Livingston is sponsoring the eighth annual Summerfest Along the Yellowstone River on July 20, 21 and 22 in Sacajawea Park.

The three-day outdoor celebration of summer and Livingston's beautiful park by the Yellowstone features live music, competitive and recreational games, free swimming at the city pool, and lots of great food, beverages and arts and crafts. Motor vehicle traffic in the park will be restricted to make it easier and safer for families to wander among events and vendors.

There will be cold drinks and foods of all kinds from an assortment of local vendors.

The live music will be as varied as the food, so whether you're into country, blues and boogie, or rock or bluegrass, this is the place to be.

Acts scheduled for this year include The Max, The Bop-A-Dips, Montana Rose, Ringling 5, and Rob Quist and Great Northern.

Children can explore their own creative talents throughout the weekend at the children's craft activities.

A doubles tennis tournament runs Friday and Saturday, and possibly Sunday, and the annual hoop shoot contest always proves great fun for all ages.

There will also be a classic and old car show all three days.

Admission to Summerfest is $10 Friday and Saturday, and $5 on Sunday, with children under 9 admitted free.

A three-day pass can be purchased for $15 for adults and $5 for children ages 9-12.

Children 9-12 can attend for free on Sunday.

Enjoy the sights, music, and delicious food and fun Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All proceeds from the event help support Livingston's Recreation Department.

Questions about Summerfest can be directed to the Recreation Department at 222-8155 or 222-1142, or visit www.livingstonsummerfest.com.

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Grab a fiddle, add a banjo or two and a guitar, and you have all it takes to make some of the best music anywhere.

At the annual Fiddlers Picnic in Livingston, some of the best fiddlers, banjo pickers and guitar players from around the county gather early August for three days and two nights of nonstop music and camping.

The Fiddlers Picnic is set to get under way the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 3, when the musicians start arriving. The festivities will continue throughout Saturday and Sunday - but Saturday night, Aug. 4 is when the fun hits its peak.

The music continues on into the wee hours of the night until the last of the musicians are too tired to play. Then they get up again Sunday, pick up their instruments, and start all over.

The event tapers off Sunday afternoon as people pack up their guitars, fiddles, camping gear and head back home.

The music they play is called old-time fiddle music - a unique form of American music that has been around for generations. They also play bluegrass and country western. Sometimes, if the moods strikes them, someone will burst out into a song.

Musicians from all over Montana, around the county and even some from overseas show up to play.

The event will be held this year on property owned by Candis and David Payne at 5230 U.S. 89 South.

The gathering, one of the largest get-togethers of fiddlers in the state, has been held annually for the past 33 years.

This summer, several hundred people are expected to attend the event, as musicians and their families travel from far and wide.

Last year, including spectators, more than 500 people made their way to the event to relax and enjoy the music.

"It's straight playing - no competition - and no stress connected with it," original organizer Doc Allison said.

Performances are impromptu and everyone shares stories and skills.

The musicians get together and play in dozens of small groups. The music from the different groups often mingles together, and when several are playing, it becomes a challenge to decide which group to listen to.

Often, those who can't play instruments pick up a set of spoons, tap their feet, clap their hands or dance.

Many local musicians attend the event, along with state and regional champions. Sometimes, former national champion fiddle players participate, too.

The public is always invited to come to the Fiddlers Picnic.

The Fiddlers Picnic will take place at 5230 U.S. 89 South in Livingston across the highway from the Firehouse 5 Playhouse and next to the Gallatin National Forest Service Livingston Ranger District.

For more information call David and Candis Payne at (406) 442- 5637.

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The following are key events planned for Gardiner during the coming tourist season. Information was provided by the Gardiner Chamber of Commerce:

June 1 and 2

Gardiner will be the place to be for the return of the the historic Yellow Buses to the Yellowstone National Park area.

The low-slung buses, from the 1936 until 1950s era, have been refurbished and will return to Yellowstone.

Gardiner will celebrate this historic event beginning Friday, with a dinner and history discussions. On Saturday, the buses will arrive, and a parade is planned.

There will also be an arts and crafts fair Saturday, as well as an auction, all set for Arch Park next to the historic Roosevelt Arch.

The old Yellow Buses, rendered obsolete by the rise of the family car, are being brought back so visitors can tour the park under the guidance of a knowledgeable driver. Tours start June 4; outings include a Sunset Tour, due to run $32 for adults and $16 for children.

June 15 and 16

The Gardiner NRA Rodeo will be held at the Jim Duffy Arena on U.S. Highway 89, just north of town.

The rodeo starts at 6 p.m. each evening. Slack time will start at noon on Friday. Slack is free for the public to watch.

The rodeo entrance fee is $6 per adults and $3 for children 6 to 12. Children 5 and under may attend the rodeo for free.

The Gardiner Community Center is planning a dance Friday night after the rodeo.

A rodeo parade is planned for Saturday afternoon. Check the Chamber's Web site (gardinerchamber.com) or call the Chamber for the exact time.

The parade goes from the Gardiner School down Park Street to U.S. Highway 89 and ends at the Gardiner Rodeo Grounds.

Concessions will be sponsored by the Gardiner Chamber.

For more information, contact the Chamber office at (406) 848-7010 or 848-7710.

September 2

The fourth annual Yellowstone Music Festival and Art Show will be held most of the day in Arch Park.

Visitor's are more than welcome to enjoy a day of music, dancing, and fine foods and refreshments.

September 22

The eighth annual Brewfest is scheduled for Sept. 29. This event consists of live music, micro brews from several regional breweries, and a concession stand serving burgers, brats, hot dogs and drinks.

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