The aroma of barbecue accompanied laughter and music at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Ronan last week during the Ronan Cowboy Cookout.

Featuring local cuisine, Lake County Community Development Corporation Executive Director Gypsy Ray said that the event was completely sold out.

“It’s a fundraiser,” she said of the cookout, held on Friday, June 15.

Ray said that the goal through sponsorship, ticket sales and raffles was $10,000.

For the LCCDC, celebrating local food is how the organization does it’s fundraising.

Sometimes it is hard to explain the work that LCCDC does, she continued, adding “eating delicious food is easy to understand.”

Originally scheduled for one week later, Ray said the feast was pushed up a week so it wouldn’t coincide with the Ronan Crab Fest at Bockman Park on June 22.

The focus on local small businesses was provided by The Roaming Buffalo out of Polson, which Ray said is a client of LCCDC, looking to expand.

“If we can support them, it helps our community,” she said.

In addition to the food and company kept, another bright spot of the event was the scenery.

“And then you get to look from the fairgrounds to the Mission Mountains, it’s awesome and gorgeous,” Ray said.