Stars and Stripes and Summer Nights was the theme of the 2026 Lake County Fair, and there were patriotic swags, ribbons and American flags festooning the fairgrounds.  

With between 1,000 and 1,100 projects entered in the fair by 221 Lake County 4-Hers and a few FFA members, keeping the fairgrounds in Ronan a busy place last week. 4-H projects were an array of interests kids have, from visual arts to animal projects (beef, swine, sheep, goat, poultry, rabbit, cat, dog, pocket pets and horse) to cake decorating and woodworking and everything in between.  

Clare Corley, Montana State University Lake County Extension Agent, said the extension office had a great response from many 4-H families who said it had been a wonderful fair.  

The horse show opened the fair on Saturday, July 25 at 9 a.m. with 4-H youth showing their horses in halter, equitation, pleasure, ranch horse and trail classes. On Sunday, 4-H shotgun shooters competed in clay and five-stand shooting at the Canton Family Shooting Range.  

Tuesday brought interview judging for 4-H members. The youth met with a qualified judge on each of their projects and discussed the projects. Judges could ask questions, which usually included reflection by the kids on how successful they felt they were with that project.

Canines and their 4-H kid owners showed up on Tuesday for obedience and agility classes. The cat show was held in the afternoon. Throughout those days, horses, dogs and cats strut their stuff at the fair and then returned home.

Then all other animals began arriving at 2 p.m. to fill the beef, swine, poultry, rabbit and sheep barns. Market animals also were weighed — pigs and lambs right off the trailer and steers led over to the scale. 

Although it was hot, misters (frozen water bottles for the bunnies) and fans kept the animals cool; and red, white and blue decorations made the barns festive. Contentedly, steers and cows were chewing their cuds and settling into sawdust bedding while 4-Hers were meeting their friends and eating nachos. 

The swine show was Wednesday morning, followed by the market beef show, sheep and goats on Thursday. 

Thursday night was the market livestock sale, which drew a good crowd, fortified by the Buyer’s Dinner before the 7 p.m. sale. Friday saw poultry and rabbit shows with breeding beef, dairy and round robin showmanship contests on Saturday. A condensed week of fun and shows made the time fly by. 

Saturday morning, kids received special fun fair awards, a new program created by Lake County 4-H Leaders Council. Kids were honored for herdsmanship, barn management, helping younger kids and just for being 4-Hers.

Now there’s a time to rest up, finish record books and think about new 4-H projects for next year.

    Coen Cahoon shows his market steer at the sale. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)

 Else Detert won the Grand Champion Small Animal Round Robin (Berl Tiskus/Leader)  Sometimes steers are restless and need to be turned around and brought back into line so the judge can get a good look. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)

    The youth who had 4-H market lamb projects wait for their turn in the ring. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)

    Milly Titus showed her pig at the Lake County Fair. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)

 First-year 4-Her Riley Senecal and her lamb, Chocolate, are ready to go into the ring. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)