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Kootenai County Fair officials preview 2025 North Idaho State Fair, fundraising events
Summary
Fair Director Alexia Jordan updated commissioners on a March 1 Fair Board retreat, fundraising events that support scholarships and capital improvements, and plans for the 10-day North Idaho State Fair beginning Aug. 15, 2025.
Kootenai County Fair Director Alexia Jordan told county commissioners at a March 18 special meeting that the Fair Board held its annual retreat on March 1 and is finalizing plans for the 2025 North Idaho State Fair.
Jordan, general manager of the Kootenai County Fairgrounds, said the retreat featured Rae O'Day, executive director of the National Independent Concessionaires Association, who presented on board governance and “Blue Ribbon Guest Services.” Neighboring fair boards from Boundary, Bonner, Benewah, Latah and Niskaurs County attended the session, Jordan said, and Commissioner Metari attended part of the retreat.
The retreat and the Fair Board’s planning matter to the local economy and to youth and agricultural programming, Jordan said. The North Idaho Fair and Rodeo Foundation’s Cowboy Ball on April 18 is a signature fundraiser that the Fair estimates produces about $90,000 annually to support capital improvements, youth scholarships and agricultural education. Jordan said those funds recently helped upgrade lighting in the chill zone, improve power infrastructure at multiple sites on the fairgrounds and support the Farm to Table program, which educates about 2,000 Kootenai County fifth-graders each season.
Jordan outlined several upcoming events tied to the fair calendar. Farm to Table programming runs in May, and a Meet a Farmer dinner is scheduled for May 12. The 2025 North Idaho State Fair is planned to begin Friday, Aug. 15; Jordan said the event will run 10 days and that officials are planning a grand opening ceremony at 4 p.m. on Aug. 15, followed by a VIP social. She invited the commissioners to participate as speakers and to hand out the annual Commissioner’s Choice ribbon, a tradition copied from Latah County.
On entertainment and competitions, Jordan said presales are strong, with rodeo tickets moving quickly and the first concert sellouts appearing likely. The fair will resume pig races and a lumberjack show; Jordan also noted the livestock program’s initial beef weigh-in is scheduled for the upcoming Sunday, which allows staff to track animals’ daily rates of gain. She said fair staff plan to evaluate a sample set of carcasses this year to analyze meat quality produced by local youth exhibitors.
Jordan closed by saying additional entertainment and sponsor details will be announced as they are finalized and that she will send commissioners official invitations for key events, including the Commissioner’s Apple Pie contest on Thursday, Aug. 21.
No formal action was taken on these updates; the presentation was informational.
