Department: 125-Industrial Arts | Open
Division A – Jewelry Making
Division B – Leatherwork
Division C – Metal Works
Division D – Glassworks
Division E – Tole Painting
Division F – Wood Works
Division G - Gems & Minerals
Prizes & Awards
Best in Show - $50
Champion– $25
Reserve Champion– $10
First Place – $8
Second Place– $5
Third Place– $3
Premiums will be awarded provided there are three (3) or more exhibits in the class. Officials have the authority to move or place exhibits into an appropriate class. Not all classes may merit a placing.
For all exhibitors winning cumulative premium money exceeding $600.00, a completed W-9 form is required, and a check will be mailed within 60 days.
Important Facts & Dates
Age & Ability Groups
Amateur
Age 11 & under (Dept. 125A)
Age 12 to 17 (Dept. 125B)
Age 18 & older (Dept. 125C)
Persons with Disabilities Age 11 & under (Dept. 125D)
Persons with Disabilities Age 12 to 17 (Dept. 125E)
Persons with Disabilities Age 18 & older (Dept. 125F)
Professional (125G)
No age classes. Either employed or selling to qualify as a professional.
Teacher (125H)
No age classes. Employed as a teacher.
July 16 – FINAL DAY FOR ONLINE ENTRIES
Pre-registration required. Enter online by 5 p.m. Thursday, July 16 2026, using the online entry system. Parents must sign if exhibitor is under 18 years of age. Following registration, print and save your receipt for entry confirmation.
July 18-19 – DELIVER EXHIBITS TO FAIRGROUNDS
Bring exhibits to the Commercial Building #13, Missoula County Fairgrounds, 1101 South Ave. West. Exhibits will be accepted 1 to 8 p.m., Saturday, July 18 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, July 19. After Sunday July 19th, exhibits may be dropped off 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Fair office (Building #12). There is no guarantee exhibits dropped off after Sunday July 19 will be judged or exhibited.
AUGUST 8 – PREMIUM PAYOUT
Premiums are available for pickup 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, August 8 at the Fair Office (Bldg. #12) Premiums are also available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday (August 10-12). Any unpaid premiums after 6 p.m., August 12 will be forfeited.
AUGUST 9-10 – EXHIBITS RELEASED
Exhibits will be available for pickup from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday August 9 and Monday August 10. If exhibits are not picked up by Thursday August 13 at 6pm, they will be donated.
General Exhibiting Guidelines
All entries must be the artist’s own recent, original work and must not have been previously exhibited at the Western Montana Fair. Works must have been completed within the past three years.
By submitting your content to this contest, you consent to Missoula County Fairgrounds posting and/or sharing images or videos of your exhibit for promotional purposes.
Entries are limited to 25 exhibits in total across all Divisions. Entries are limited to one (1) per Class.
Officials reserve the right to reclassify entries not entered in the correct division or class, or as otherwise needed for competition. Officials have the right to exclude any content from consideration if it includes explicit content that is not family friendly.
All exhibits will receive care and protection in the surroundings, but always are subject to owners’ risk, and the Missoula County Fairgrounds nor Western Montana Fair can’t be held responsible for damage that may occur.
Space/capacity may be reached before the entry deadline and may limit the number of exhibits permitted. In this instance, exhibits will be accepted in the order the entries were received.
Division A – Jewelry Making
GUIDELINES & REMINDERS
No kits, original designs only. A 3-piece set is any three items which are worn together. For example, a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet would be considered a 3-piece set.
CLASSES
Class 1: Bracelet, any method
Class 2: Earrings, any method
Class 3: Necklace, any method
Class 4: Rings, Pendants, Pins and Brooches, any method
Class 5: 3-piece Jewelry Set
Class 6: Other, not listed above.
Division B – Leatherwork
CLASSES
Class 1: Carving or Stamping (original design)
Class 2: Hand stitched
Class 3: Dying
Class 4: Lacing
Class 5: Other leather construction
Division C – Metal Works
CLASSES
Class 1: Forged, Welded, or Soldered
Class 2: Tin Punch Item or Plasma Cut
Class 3: Scrap Metal Project
Class 4: Other, not listed above.
Division D – Glass Works
Classes
Class 1: Stained Glass, lead or foil
Class 2, Glass etching
Class 3: Glass fusing or casting
Class 4: Glass blowing
Class 5: Other, not listed above.
Division E – Tole Painting
Classes
Class 1: Painting on Wood, Metal, or Glass Object
Class 2: Painting on rocks or any other material
Division F – Wood Works
Classes
Class 1: Hand Carved Item
Class 2: Chainsaw Carved Item
Class 3: Lathe Made Item
Class 4: Scroll Sawed Item
Class 5: Joinery
Class 6: Other, not listed above including Refinished/Restored Item (include before and after pictures.)
Division G – Gems & Minerals
Prizes
Hellgate Mineral Society Choice Award – A ribbon and $25 will be awarded to a single entry in the ‘Gems & Minerals’ division for both Youth and Adult.
Classes
Class 1: Lapidary, tumbling
Class 2: Lapidary, cabbing
Class 3: Lapidary, faceting
Class 4: Lapidary, carving
Class 5: Lapidary, jewelry
Class 6: Collecting, rocks (minimum 12 rocks)
Class 7: Collecting, minerals (minimum 12 minerals)
Class 8: Collecting, fossils (minimum 12 fossils)
Class 9: Montana Only Material (specimens collected within Montana and lapidary items using Montana material)
Class 10: Any other collection (minimum 12 items)