You could give a child a bag of candy the size of what they could collect at the parade, and they’d still want to go to the parade. It’s kid logic: it’s just more fun to run as far as your mom will let you onto the street, to beat your brother to the gummy bears, and to check out the good candy and who was stingy throwing treats. 

The Charlo kids proved this hypothesis at the annual Fourth of July Parade. 

The theme this year was Faith, Farmin’ and Freedom. The parade began with two veterans carrying the American flag and the Montana flag and a third veteran playing patriotic songs on the fife. 

The horses and riders were decked out in red, white, and blue, while many floats with everybody from the Charlo Class of 1959 to the Gilmore family reunion rolled down the street. Also entered in the parade was a remarkable assortment of vintage and antique cars, such as Dick Tobin’s ‘41 Lincoln Zephyr. 

Women in a tiki pedal car used their footpower to propel themselves down Hwy. 212, which was closed for the annual event. Mario and Bowser rode small motorcycles in circles as Luigi drove the Mario car with Princess Peach riding shotgun. Firetrucks and fire vehicles also took part in the parade, and a tractor was the caboose.  

Parade entrants threw chocolate candy, licorice, Skittles and gummy bears to the crowd that lined the highway. That’s heaven for the youngsters, who shared some with mom and dad during this small-town salute to Independence Day.

    A young Bauer boy gives the universal sign for "Mom,-look-what-I-got" as he checks out the candy he received during the Charlo Fourth of July Parade. (Berl Tiskus)
  

    Ladies on the tiki pedal car were throwing candy to kids (of all ages) along Charlo's Main Street during the Fourth of July Parade. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
  

Little Miss Fourth of July looks out the window of a fire engine as the Charlo Fourth of July Parade slides down Highway 212. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)