4-H says new fair Chuckwagon nearly set

The Great Northern Fair Board did not publicly discuss hiring a new grounds manager, although it went into executive session for an unspecified reason, but talked during its monthly meeting Tuesday about a new building and new schedule of events.

After years of fundraising, the 4-H Chuckwagon Committee and 4-H Foundation have tapped Havre's Clausen and Sons as the contractor to build the new Chuckwagon on the Great Northern Fairgrounds.

  Lon Waid, chair of the committee, said the group awarded the contract at a meeting 10 days ago. Clausen and Sons beat out Korb Construction for the project.

"Our plan is to break ground after this year's fair and try to get at least the ground work done and put the building up in the spring of '18, and then to be used at the '18 fair," Waid said.

Hill County 4-H has been raising money for several years to build a 150-foot-by-40-foot building that will include a commercial kitchen, bathrooms and a reception where events can be held.

Waid said that of the $400,000 needed for the project, about $330,000 in cash has been raised and $60,000 to $70,000 in in-kind donations.

Waid said the fair board's Grounds Committee has suggested building the new Chuckwagon connected to or closer to the Bigger Better Barn or closer to U.S. Highway 2 might be better than building it at the existing Chuckwagon's location has been committed.

If the Chuckwagon is built in its existing location, Waid told the board, the Hall of Fame Building between the Chuckwagon and the Beef Barn might have to be either removed or torn down. If it is torn down the items will be housed in the new Chuckwagon, he said.

The board members agreed to have the Grounds Committee look at the location choices and come up with a plan.

Events Committee Chair Chelby Gooch said that committee has set a tentative schedule for the entertainment for this year's Great Northern Fair.

Gooch said she and fellow committee members Scott Doney and Carla Vaughn planned the schedule.

Gooch said the tentative schedule will have the junior rodeo Wednesday night the rodeo Thursday night, bull riding Friday and the Jaycees demolition derby Sunday.

She added that the committee is still floating ideas for the main entertainment event that will take place Saturday night of the fair.

Gooch said there no arrangements in place, but that some ideas for Saturday night would be a truck pull or a musical act.

Gooch said this morning that a truck pull is a competitive event in which trucks drag a metal sled across an arena.  

Gooch said that she will also look into getting some bands for the beer garden for Saturday night during the fair.

"As far as Saturday night, we just discussed options. It's nothing in stone. I was just getting prices and just ideas," Doney said "If anybody else has any ideas we could look into for kind of our main event, which is Saturday night, is what we are hoping for, that is where the majority of our entertainment budget will go."

Sunrise 4-H is seeking permission to clean up the Great Northern Fairgrounds during Havre Pride, Vaughn, who is also a 4-H volunteer, said.

The annual cleanup happens in April, but she said that organizers moved it to May though she is not sure of the exact date.

"So on Pride Day if you see a bunch of kids in orange shirts, it's us," she said.

She said that people who want to take part can do so on the day by just showing up.