History:
While 1947 marked the first Montana Winter Fair, a predecessor had existed for some time. Called the Bozeman Livestock Show Association, it had been formed by those interested in agriculture and livestock from the Gallitan Valley Area. In December of 1946 a group from that area formed a non-profit corporation and renamed the Association as the Montana Winter Fair. Ernest Monforton, F.D. Street, W.A. Denecke, LJ.Healy, W.L. Cline, Elmer Johnson, Edwin Stephenson, W.J. Harrer, Wilbur Spring Jr., R.H. Marshal and Howard G. Lewis had as their prime objective promotion and improvement of the livestock and agriculture industry in Montana and surrounding states.
From 1947 until 2002 annual events were held each January with participants from Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota participating. After its last event in Bozeman, the Lewistown Fair Board agreed to sponsor the event, moving it to the Lewistown Fair Grounds. Since then a group of dedicated volunteers from Lewistown and the surrounding area have made the Winter Fair a larger and better event each year. This year's fair, to be held in late January, marks the 61st anniversery of one of Montana's premeire events for the agricultural community.
