Harvest Fest pays homage to the ’60s
BERL TISKUS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 1 month AGO
Lucia Whitehawk 2, used a pumpkin as a bowling ball at the Ronan Harvest Fest. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
Flower Power is the theme of this decorated bale along Main Street in Ronan. Trail of Bales winners will be announced Thursday. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
Aria Luchau, 5, had her face painted at the Ronan Harvest Fest. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
Reporter Berl Tiskus joined the Lake County Leader team in early March, and covers Ronan City Council, schools, ag and business. Berl grew up on a ranch in Wyoming and earned a degree in English education from MSU-Billings and a degree in elementary education from the University of Montana. Since moving to Polson three decades ago, she’s worked as a substitute teacher, a reporter for the Valley Journal and a secretary for Lake County Extension. Contact her at btiskus@leaderadvertiser.com or 406-883-4343. | September 21, 2023 12:00 AM
A sunny Saturday brought a lot of folks out for the Ronan Harvest Fest, held Sept. 16 in the grassy meadow by Glacier Bank.
Lacy Cates, chair of the Ronan Chamber’s annual event, said more than 25 vendors were scattered around the area.
Bill Houck, a jewelry and knife vendor, said there were many more booths this year, and the crowd had been steady. The sunlight sparkled on the earrings and jewelry he sells.
Cates noted that this year’s event also attracted more food and drink vendors, and offered kudos to organizers.
“Such an amazing committee,” she marveled, saying everyone pitched in, and presto, the event was wonderful.
The Harvest Fest theme this year is the 1960’s, and some of the vendors wore tie-dye shirts in keeping with the theme.
The Trail of Bales around Ronan also evoked memories of the 60s with peace signs, flower power, “Make Love not War” signs, Cheech and Chong references, and the NASA space program adorning round bales throughout the community.
Voting for favorite bales was available through Wednesday on the Ronan Chamber of Commerce’s facebook page, and the results will be announced Thursday.
Cates said more businesses were requesting hay bales this year, although unfortunately, one of the bales was stolen.
Straw bales, pumpkins, and cornstalks decorated the carnival games for kids that were staffed by local youngsters.
Toby Cantlon and friends were keeping the pins set up for pumpkin bowling.
“I showed up to help, and this is where they put me,” Cantlon said, as he helped a toddler push a huge pumpkin down the slide towards the pins.
A kid magnet was the petting zoo with a miniature donkey and her foal, a pet carrier full of kittens, and a group of inquisitive goats. One young man was sharing a stick of licorice with a goat, and other kids fed the animals bits of hay or just gave them pats.
Hungry visitors could get a coffee or a Lotus drink, sandwiches, or popcorn to munch on while their children played in the bouncy house and on the bouncy slide, sponsored by Big Creek Plumbing and Luedtke Home and Real Estate.
Produce vendors sold pumpkins, watermelons, and cantaloupe for people to take home.
