Ronan dressed up in green for St. Patrick's Day
KRISTI NIEMEYER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 3 months AGO
TRADITIONAL GREEN HORSE strolled through Ronan Sunday as part of the St. Patrick Day Parade's equine brigade. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
NEON GREEN drivers piloted a RZR through Ronan Sunday. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
THESE WEE FOLK seemed to take St. Patrick's Day in Ronan entirely too seriously. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
VETERAN PARADE WATCHERS Jerry and Marlena Burden were full of St. Patrick's Day cheer. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
The usual array of emergency vehicles brought up the end of the 2024 Ronan's St. Patrick's Day Parade, with a leprechaun straddling the ladder truck. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
DAPPER DACHSHUND marched along the St. Patrick's Day parade route Sunday on behalf of Dick's Pheasant Lounge. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
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 editor@leaderadvertiser.com or 406-883-4343. | March 21, 2024 12:00 AM
A profusion of green sprouted along Main Street in Ronan Saturday afternoon as spectators and parade participants alike paid homage to St. Patrick – the patron saint of Ireland.
The Honor Guard led the lineup, followed by horseback riders (including the traditional green horse), a large array of green-hued floats, the Great Scott Bagpipes, a few motorcyclists and fancy cars, and a brigade of emergency vehicles, with a leprechaun perched atop the ladder truck.
The Ronan Irish Community (TRIC) sponsors the well-attended annual affair, which was praised by organizer Carlene Bockman for “incredible and enthusiastic participants.”
Bockman offered “a big shout-out” to the many entries, parade judges, security, and spectators. She also expressed appreciation to those who dropped money in donation boxes to help defray costs.
“Even the weather was an awesome contributor,” she said.
This year’s winners are:
Best Irish Animal – Golden Templer
Best Kids – Two Eagle River School
Most Irish – Great Scott Bagpipes
Green Team – Ronan Wrestling
Most Likely to go to Jail – O'Leary's Old Ladies
Biggest Shamrocks – Cheers Bar
Most Likely to Cause a Riot – Pheasant Bar
Pub Wars – 2nd Chance Saloon
Best Overall – Tenas Day Care
Remember, Bockman added, "if you're lucky enough to be Irish (or wanna be) then you're lucky enough!”
NEON GREEN drivers piloted a RZR through Ronan Sunday. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
THESE WEE FOLK seemed to take St. Patrick's Day in Ronan entirely too seriously. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
VETERAN PARADE WATCHERS Jerry and Marlena Burden were full of St. Patrick's Day cheer. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
The usual array of emergency vehicles brought up the end of the 2024 Ronan's St. Patrick's Day Parade, with a leprechaun straddling the ladder truck. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
DAPPER DACHSHUND marched along the St. Patrick's Day parade route Sunday on behalf of Dick's Pheasant Lounge. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)MORE FRONT-PAGE-SLIDER STORIES
ARTICLES BY KRISTI NIEMEYER
Charlo's frybread chef: It's all about tradition
For Nancy Vaughan, the frybread she makes every year for Charlo’s Fourth of July festivities is a matter of tradition.
Teens rescue Big Arm woman trapped beneath mower
By Monday, Kyle Geyer looked pretty chipper. Especially for a woman who had spent four hours last Friday pinned beneath her riding lawnmower. She’s also exceedingly grateful to the two boys who saved her life, Danny Fehr and Channing Thompson who were visiting from Billings.
Crowd estimated at 800 to 1,000 for Charlo's parade
Organizers estimate that 800 to 1,000 people lined Hwy. 212 for Charlo’s annual Fourth of July parade, which travels through town twice.