Ronan celebrates community during annual Pioneer Days events
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RONAN — Ronan took center stage in the Mission Valley last weekend with annual Pioneer Days events held Aug. 5-7, with the theme “Born in the USA.”
The excitement kicked off Friday morning with a kid’s fishing derby in Ronan City Park and a Golf Scramble afterwards. The main event, the rodeo, got started at the fairgrounds on Friday night with bull and bronc riders, followed by an adults-only street dance that went well into the night for those not attending the classic 5 and 10K runs early Saturday morning. Each night also held a special 50/50 drawing for the Pioneer Days Scholarship Fund, helping to support local kids in their pursuit of higher education.
A free car show at the south lawn of Glacier Bank was the big draw Saturday afternoon, with a variety of classic cars lined up for families and onlookers to appreciate. Put on by Brady of Ronan Auto Body, both private car owners and members of the Mission Valley Cruisers turned up to show off their carefully restored and maintained rigs.
“It’s wonderful that (Brady) does this show and keeps it up every year… Everybody likes to come to a free show,” President of the Mission Valley Cruisers Ron Millstead said.
One gentleman at the show with a red 1964 Chevrolet Impala has been working on the car for decades. “I’m 53 now, had it since high school. I’ve had it a long time, done a lot to it,” he commented.
The kiddie and slicker events got the rodeo started Saturday evening, and though sheep riding was out this year due to circumstances beyond the organizer’s control, kids’ barrel racing still drew a great crowd. Saturday and Sunday night saw the rest of the rodeo events, from roping to steer wrestling to ladies breakaway and barrels.
Rodeo results will be posted this week on the Ronan Pioneer Days Facebook page at: facebook.com/RonanPioneerDays.
Sunday events began with a volleyball tourney followed by the Big Parade down Main Street, showing off the theme “Born in the USA.” Floats put together by members of the community and businesses, as well as cars from the car show graced the streets as children and families looked on. The rodeo wrapped up with the annual wild buffalo ride, and the weekend wound down with a friends and family steak night and a karaoke party open to all ages.
“(Pioneer Days is) something to look forward to every year, especially when summer’s kinda winding down,” one attendee of the rodeo commented. “Gonna see if I can get the kids in the parade next year. It’s a fun time.”
