Ravalli County Fair Parade, on verge of cancellation, gains new leadership last minute

The Ravalli County Fair Parade was in jeopardy of being cancelled for 2026 but Ravalli County Public Health employees stepped up in the nick of time.

A decision needed to be made by March 31 due to a printing deadline for the Fair Book, Ravalli County Fairgrounds Manager Melissa Saville said. They were sent to the books for proofing already but were granted an extension so they could determine if the parade would in fact be happening or not.

Ravalli County Commissioners approved a motion to transition leadership of the fair parade from the fairgrounds to the Ravalli County Public Health Department during their Thursday meeting.

Commissioner Jeff Burrows said the fair parade has been a 100-year tradition and with the public relation issues around the fair he feels they need to have a parade.

“I think it would be an epic disaster not to have the fair parade,” said Burrows.

Ravalli County Fairgrounds Manager Melissa Saville had been reaching out to the community to find people willing to be fair parade superintendents. When Saville brought it to the fair commission, they said if they could not find anyone, they would want to suspend it for the 2026 fair season.

Saville sent an email to county employees to see if anyone would be interested in running the parade, and Ravalli County Public Health Director, Tiffany Webber RN, offered to step up.

Webber was in the audience at the commissioners' meeting on Thursday and came forward to sit next to Saville.

“I am happy to be here and just have this discussion," Webber said. "When I saw the email, I was worried it was going to be canceled as well."

Saville says the recent Fair Parade superintendents have been experiencing health issues and had to step down.

“It takes at least two people at the top of that pyramid leading the charge,” Saville said. “It’s a lot of work prepping, getting information into the fair book, taking entries, coordinating with the office, finding volunteers, judges, being on hand the day of the parade, the day before the parade, and the cleanup after.”

Webber said she and two other people knew it would be a big load to take on but were willing to take on the job.