Travis Tritt takes over the Last Chance Stampede and Fair before weather cuts concert short
People who bought tickets to Tritt's concert with cards will get automatically refunded, while those who used cash are asked to go to the fair box office July 27.
Travis Tritt, a two-time Grammy Award-winning artist, took over the Cool Alley Arena on Wednesday night during the Last Chance Stampede and Fair, but he and fans saw the concert cut short because of severe weather.
Thousands of attendees filled the arena to listen to the Southern country star during the fair, singing and dancing along with fair food and drinks in hand.
Tritt reminded fans that if they were going to sing, they needed to make sure they "sing good."
Downtown Avenue, husband-and-wife duo Christie George and Dejo Andersson, opened the night ahead of Tritt's set.
As clouds rolled in over the opening songs of Tritt's concert, the Last Chance Stampede and Fair had to cancel the show due to severe weather.
On Thursday morning, the the Stampede and Fair apologized and said it would be issuing refunds for all ticket purchases since the concert had to be canceled for safety reasons.
"As the severe weather developed, Travis Tritt's team worked closely with Last Chance Stampede and Fair staff and local law enforcement to assess the situation. Together, the decision was made that canceling the concert was the safest course of action due to the ongoing lightning activity," the team wrote in a social media post. "While we know this was disappointing for everyone, we appreciate your understanding as safety had to come first."
People who bought tickets with debit and credit cards will have their refunds processed automatically and should appear in their accounts in 5-7 days, officials said.
Those who purchased tickets with cash should bring their tickets to the fair box office on July 27, where staff will assist in processing a refund.
Sonny Tapia is a photographer for the Helena Independent Record.