Friday, January 23, 2026
17.0°F

Ronan parade, holiday drawings attract crowd

KRISTI NIEMEYER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 1 month AGO
by KRISTI NIEMEYER
Kristi Niemeyer is editor of the Lake County Leader. She learned her newspaper licks at the Mission Valley News and honed them at the helm of the Ronan Pioneer and, eventually, as co-editor of the Leader until 1993. She later launched and published Lively Times, a statewide arts and entertainment monthly (she still publishes the digital version), and produced and edited State of the Arts for the Montana Arts Council and Heart to Heart for St. Luke Community Healthcare. Reach her at [email protected] or 406-883-4343. | December 13, 2023 11:00 PM

Main Street Ronan was crowded with parade watchers Friday as the annual Parade of Lights made its way through town. Festivities wrapped up at the Visitors’ Center with a giant bonfire, hot cocoa, and drawings for 15 themed gift packages, sponsored by the Ronan Chamber of Commerce.

Winners included: Backyard BBQ ($875), Victoria Whit; Lights, Camera, Action ($925), Faith and Sam Trotter; Hot Wheels ($1,070), Jared Hendrix; Home Improvement ($842), Charlie and Jane Hoffman; Chillin’ Out ($834), Nancy Vaughan; I Can See Clearly Now ($895), Willie and Lorraine Bourdon; Business Booster Bundle ($1,010), Grant Family; To Your Health Men's Package ($1,116), Brandon Drake; To Your Health Women's Package ($1,394), Millie Woodcock; Let's Go Cruisin' ($1,210), Brit Nordberg; Backyard Oasis ($817), Lindsey Sinclair; Game Night ($1,148), Dave Kudlock; Makin’ Waves ($830), Beth Rathbun; Grill Master ($1,075), Tricia Anderson; and Christmas Magic ($1,425), Brady and Jess Snyder.

Organizers say the Tool Time package, valued at $810, went to a good home too (they just forgot to write down the name).

    A pair of happy customers made off with one of 15 gift packages given away to ticket holders during the annual Holiday Treasures drawing, held last Friday night in Ronan and sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
 
 
    Jolly Old St. Nick made his way down Main Street last Friday during Ronan's Parade of Lights. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
 
 
    This little spectator at the Ronan Parade of Lights was clearly ready for Christmas and Halloween. It's just hard to know which holiday to prepare for, especially when it comes to collecting candy. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
 
 
    Merry elves Brian Miskimins, Katie Jo Elliott and Justine Welker prepare to disperse gift packages during the Ronan Chamber's Holiday Treasures drawing, held last Friday at the Visitors' Center. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
 
 


ARTICLES BY KRISTI NIEMEYER

Lake County's landfill nears completion
January 21, 2026 11 p.m.

Lake County's landfill nears completion

A massive earth-moving project is reshaping the Lake County Landfill, southeast of Polson. By the end of March, the facility is expected to be fully open, and able to digest the 18,000 tons of garbage that currently goes to Republic Services’ landfill in Missoula.

January 21, 2026 11 p.m.

Heeding Dr. King's call to service

I’ve been trying to imagine what the members of the Browning Wrestling Team felt when they showed up at McDonald’s in Ronan last Thursday night, expecting to order food.

Polson attorney, briefly a judge-elect, to serve three years on probation for drug use
January 14, 2026 8:18 a.m.

Polson attorney, briefly a judge-elect, to serve three years on probation for drug use

Polson attorney Kenneth Britton "Britt" Cotter was on the cusp of taking his seat as newly elected District Court judge for Lake and Sanders counties, when he abruptly resigned on Dec. 22, 2024. A little over a year later, he sat in the same Polson courtroom where he would have presided, as defendant instead of judge.