Sanders County Fair attendance, revenue down

The final financial reports for the 2026 Sanders County Fair are now complete, and they confirm what many organizations are experiencing: rising costs.

Fair expenses increased significantly in 2026, particularly for the rodeo and general fair operations. At the same time, ticket sales declined for both the rodeo and demolition derby events.

"We made more in 2025 than we did in 2026," said Fair Manager Kristy Sheehan.

Sheehan attributed much of the decline in revenue to poor weather conditions.

"The weather had a lot to do with it," she said. "We didn't sell as many tickets and made $2,000 less in sponsorships. Right now, we're in the hole $384.92 on the rodeo."

According to Sheehan, rodeo expenses increased by approximately $20,000 in 2026.

Fair Commission Chairman Randy Woods said boosting attendance must be a priority moving forward.

"We need more people in the seats," Woods said. "Our expenses went up, and because of the weather our income was down. There was about a $70,000 difference."

Fair Commission member Richard Sanders suggested taking over management of the annual demolition derby as a way to reduce expenses and increase profits.

"I would like us to consider taking this over ourselves because I think we could gain $35,000 in profit," Sanders said. "I could handle the arena setup and teardown. I just want to know what you guys think."

Woods noted that the commission had previously looked into managing the event but encountered challenges.

"We did this before, and there were two problems," Woods said. "One was insurance, and the second was the payout."

Sanders asked for permission from the commission to further explore the idea with Sanders County officials. If approved, he plans to spend the next several weeks determining whether a commission-managed derby would be feasible.

For the past two years, the demolition derby has been operated by Hit Hard or Go Home. Company representative Paul Twidt attended the meeting and asked commissioners for feedback on this year's event.

"We were happy with the fair and how they treated us, and we hope you were happy with us," Twidt said.

Twidt said the company plans to expand the Powder Puff competition if it returns next year.

"The lady drivers will have a bigger show next year," he said. "They are pretty aggressive out there."

In other fair business, Sheehan reported that she located a used Arctic Cat side-by-side with an enclosed cab and snowplow for $8,900 to assist with fairgrounds maintenance.

"It's a very clean, very nice machine," Sheehan said.

Sheehan also reported that she has been interviewing candidates to fill two open positions, including one full-time and one part-time employee.

    Sanders County Fair Commission member Richard Sanders questions if the commission should manage the demolition derby during the October commission meeting. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
 Tracy Scott