Missoula Fairgrounds Foundation
About Missoula Fairgrounds Foundation
The Missoula County Fairgrounds is where Missoula comes together for the Western Montana Fair, the 4-H and FFA livestock sale, public trails, and events all year long. It’s one of those places that still does a lot of real community work at once, from youth agriculture to family outings to public gatherings. If you care about preserving a shared space with Western Montana roots, this is the kind of place your support helps keep open and active.
What sets it apart is that it is not just a fairgrounds, it is a public campus used in many different ways throughout the year. Visitors come for the fair, the trails, the livestock sale, and more than one hundred events annually, all on the same community site. The long-term revitalization work gives that history a future.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Western Montana Fair
Annual fair programming with carnival rides, free activities, performances, demonstrations, livestock shows, animal events, food, live music, and arena events.
4-H / FFA Livestock Sale
A livestock sale where 4-H and FFA youth participating in market animal projects sell their project animals and keep the proceeds.
Park and Trail System
Public trails and picnic areas open daily, with posted guidelines for pets, smoking, vehicles, camping, and recycling.
Event hosting and venue rentals
Versatile spaces used to host public events, private events, and community gatherings throughout the year.
Fairgrounds revitalization and capital campaign
Support for renovation and restoration projects tied to rebuilding the historic fairgrounds, including new arena and grandstand plans and programming connected to the fair, agricultural education, and western sporting traditions.
About this work
In their own words — what they do, who it reaches, and what your dollars actually fund.
Mission
The Missoula County Fairgrounds promotes agriculture, education, culture, recreation, community connection, and reflects the beauty and history of Western Montana.
Who they serve
Residents and visitors in Missoula County and Western Montana, including fairgoers, exhibitors, families, and 4-H and FFA youth.
Their impact
- Hosts over one hundred events a year.
- For every $1 contributed in sponsorship, nearly $10 is redistributed back into the local community.
How your donation helps
- Revitalizing and rebuilding the historic fairgrounds
- Building renovation and restoration
- A new arena and grandstands
- Programming connected to the Western Montana Fair
- Agricultural education
- Western sporting traditions
Our story
The organization was created to support capital campaign projects for the historic Missoula County Fairgrounds. Its purpose centers on renovation and restoration work, along with programming connected to the Western Montana Fair, agricultural education, and western sporting traditions.
Stories
The people behind the work.
In their words
The mission of the Missoula County Fairgrounds is to promote agriculture, education, culture, recreation, community connection and to reflect the beauty of Western Montana.
Missoula County Fairgrounds hosts an ever-increasing variety of public events during the year, and is the largest such facility in Western Montana.
For every $1 contributed in sponsorship, nearly $10 is redistributed back into our local community.
Events
Western Montana Fair
annualAnnual fair with themed weekends, live music, rodeo events, livestock shows, animal events, food, and carnival rides.
4-H / FFA Livestock Sale
annualAnnual livestock sale for youth participating in market animal projects.
Western Montana Legend
annualAnnual recognition honoring an individual for leadership and community service connected to the fairgrounds.
Recognition & press
Awards & recognition
- Western Montana Legend recognition
In the news
Articles featuring Missoula Fairgrounds Foundation from the Love What You Fund newsroom.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
How does the 4-H / FFA livestock sale work?
Youth taking part in market animal projects sell their project animal, and the proceeds go to the individual 4-H or FFA member.
What can people do on the park and trail system?
The trails are open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Visitors may picnic, pets need to be on a leash, and there are recycling receptacles and water fill stations along the trail.
What kinds of activities are part of the Western Montana Fair?
The fair includes carnival rides, free activities, performances, demonstrations, livestock shows, animal events, food, live music, and arena events.
What is the revitalization project focused on?
The work supports renovation and restoration projects for the historic fairgrounds, including plans for a new arena and grandstands and programming tied to agricultural education and western sporting traditions.
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