HELENA — The 63rd Annual Last Chance Stampede and Fair begins this Wednesday and runs through Saturday. They estimate that around 50,000-55,000 people will come to enjoy the rodeo, vendors, food, rides, 4-H, and 4 concerts.
From about 1985 to 1998, Vickie Cooke and her husband were on the road taking their carnival rides from fair to fair.
“And then quit to raise our two girls and started again in 2016,” says Cooke.
While based in Montana, they travel outside the state, as well, visiting Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota. And these rides aren’t cheap. Cooke estimates that a new Ferris wheel would cost around $400,000.
Utilizing 13 18-wheeler trucks and dozens of H-2B workers from Mexico and Honduras, they move the large rides from town to town.
“It’s a way of life. It's not just a job. It's a way of life. And it's something we've always enjoyed ... We're like a small city that moves. You have the same neighbors every week, the same people. It's just like a small community,” says Cooke.
The Last Chance Stampede and Fair, even seeing international visitors, is a big draw for Helena.
“We got people from Norway calling about our rodeo, so I mean, people are coming from everywhere to come see our show here,” says Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds Manager, Kevin Tenney.
With around 500-600 people working at the event, it’s one of Helena’s biggest attractions of the year.
“There's something for everyone, whether you're a music lover or a rodeo lover, an animal lover, there's something here for everybody. It's a free gate. You don't have to pay to come see the attractions. So, I mean, it's, it's worth the visit down here, have great food and have a lot of fun,” says Tenney.
