Bozeman Magazine

The 78th annual Montana 4-H Congress is set for July 9-14 on the Montana State University campus in Bozeman.

Montana 4-H expects more than 300 4-H youth, volunteers and MSU Extension faculty to be in attendance. This year’s theme is TV 4-H Network.

Montana 4-H Congress events, which are for youth ages 13-19, are designed to provide a safe and fun environment for competitive and social events, educational workshops, service-learning and more.

Pre-Congress activities allow youth to learn by doing, build confidence and work together as they plan conference events. Meanwhile, competitive events – on topics ranging from livestock and quilting to public speaking and career communications – allow youth to work toward goals and learn from results.

The Montana 4-H Congress will also host keynote speaker Scotty Wiese, who will present "How to Magically Connect and Succeed in Life." Wiese is a magician, speaker and author who is known for his upbeat shows focused on human connection.

The 4-H Congress event positively impacts youth by inviting them to form relationships with peers from around Montana, with new ideas and the faculty who present those ideas, and with higher education and college life, according to Todd Kesner, director of Montana 4-H. 

“At its core, the event is designed to bring people together,” he said.

Youth who are interested in attending the Montana 4-H Congress are invited to contact their local MSU Extension office. Deadlines vary by community.