Ronan paints the town green
St. Patrick's Day celebrated with annual parade
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RONAN — Last Thursday, the city of Ronan gathered on Main Street to enjoy a vibrant green parade in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.
Led by a chorus of bagpipes, the parade marched down Main Street surrounded by people clad in shamrocks and small children ready with bags to gather up candy thrown from floats. Dozens of organizations participated, from the O’Leary’s Old Ladies towing a beer hot tub titled “Irish Stewed” to the Ronan Cooperative Brewery clad in lederhosen.
The parade in Ronan has been going on since 1985 according to organizers, a celebration of Montana’s strong Irish heritage. Montana once had more people per capita of Irish descent than any other place in the United States, according to the Montana Ancient Order of Hibernians, and continues to embrace its ties to the Emerald Isle in these annual celebrations.
While the parade was the subject of controversy last year when a float opted to attach a political sign to their display, the organizers made sure that no such issue would occur again this year, preserving the parade as a family-friendly event for all.
“A big thank you to the parade organizers and participants,” the Ronan Area Chamber of Commerce posted on their social media. “Such a fun event!”
The parade ended with a convoy of firetrucks, honking their horns and throwing candy from their windows to the delight of the children watching.
“It’s the perfect weather for it,” one attendee commented of the mild temperatures that graced the day. “Not too hot, not too cold, and the kids don’t have to dig through the snow to pick up the candy.”
After the parade, a street party was held by Mission Mountain Enterprises beside the Ronan Co-op Brewery. DJs played a variety of energetic music while people talked with neighbors over a beverage from the local brewery.
Parade award results:
- Most Irish went to the bagpipers
- Pub Wars went to the Bird and Pheasant
- Best Overall went to O’Leary’s Old Ladies Irish Stewed
- Greenest Team Float went to Live Oak Belgians, Ninepipes Lodge, and the Ladybird SkyRiders
- Best Irish Animal went to the Templer Family Horses
- Best Kids Float went to Lilith Futrell
