BELLE FOURCHE - The Northern Hills' Tri-State Expo for ag, home and recreation will be held Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 23 and 24, at the Belle Fourche Area Community Center.

The filled expo floor, lobby and outdoor display areas feature diverse commercial booths including new vehicles, hot tubs, financial services and the Miss Rodeo South Dakota program.

Two special reports to the public, including question-and-answer periods, are scheduled for the expo.

At 12:30 p.m. Saturday, area legislators are scheduled for their final crackerbarrel session of the year in Belle Fourche. South Dakota state senators and representatives for the Belle Fourche-Butte County area are set to report on an active legislative year with a number of northwest South Dakota issues.

At 1 p.m. on Sunday, there will be a special report from state and federal officials about changes scheduled for public use at Belle Fourche Reservoir at Orman Dam.

The program includes Bureau of Reclamation management changes for the irrigation reservoir, a new off-road vehicle program and primitive recreation.

Also, finishing touches at the Rocky Point State Recreation Area will be discussed by a South Dakota Parks Department representative. The public will be able to ask questions about the federal and state plans at the area.

Federal plans include weed control for foreign species that are a regional threat for water sources and water courses throughout the Belle Fourche River watershed.

There is no admission charge for the expo.

This year's expo does not have an overall theme, so emphasis is on the region's lifestyle.

A kids' room Saturday offers fun for the youngsters while parents visit booths or the legislators' crackerbarrel.

Outdoor exhibits include both Belle Fourche new-car dealerships.

Some of the commercial booths offer goods and services to the ag marketplace, and home vendor displays offer information and ideas for town and county homes alike.

Miss Rodeo South Dakota Tara Trask plans to attend the Expo both days.

Trask said that she hopes to have some of the region's other rodeo queens with her to sign autographs and explain the rodeo-queen programs that help promote the sport.

The Miss Rodeo South Dakota competition is held annually in Belle Fourche in conjunction with the Black Hills Roundup rodeo events.

If you go

What: Tri-State Expo

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24

Where: Belle Fourche Area Community Center

Cost: Free