Dayton Daze celebrated its 35th anniversary last Saturday, and the town was buzzing. The theme was “Back to the Old West,” and lots of cowboy kids in hats, chaps, and boots came to play. One man wore a frock coat, and with a Tombstone marshal badge on his lapel, he could have been an Earp.

Dayton Daze is always fun for the whole family. The ladies at the Dayton Church began about 9 a.m., offering homemade baked goods for sale, lunch, and a rummage sale.

Around noon, activities were on the move at Dayton Park with games for kids, prizes and vendors. Hot dogs were sold for $1 to benefit the Chief Cliff Volunteer Fire Department/Quick Response Unit, and regular dogs from the Kalispell Animal Shelter were available to pet or consider adopting. Friends of Lake Mary Ronan had an information booth.

Two guns were raffled off to raise funds for the Chief Cliff VFD/QRU, which serves Dayton, Proctor, Elmo and Lake Mary Ronan. Rollins also has a volunteer fire department.

The winner took home a Henry BigBoy Brass 44 Magnum engraved with the Chief Cliff fire logo, donated by Skinner Sights, or a Remington Model 700 XCR tactical rifle donated by Jeremy and Katie Reese.

The parade, a time-honored tradition in Dayton, trundled through town at 2 p.m. Two young ladies, 6 and 7 years old, said their favorite thing about Dayton Daze was the parade, the candy and the fire engines.

Long-time Dayton area resident Mike Meuli called out the names of participants from a spot near Dayton Park. First came Charlene Brundage carrying the American flag on her horse Shooter, who was decked out with an American flag draped over his hindquarters, a red, white, and blue bridle and breast collar. Bagpiper Dick Bratton from the Great Scots met up with New-Zealand transplant Andrew Pickering before the parade, and they marched and piped together. The Ravenhall Motorcycle Club from Polson came roaring down the street, all flying American flags.

Antique cars, vintage cars, and all the fire trucks that could be mustered made the parade, and nobody stinted on the candy. Kids were showered with treats; some shouted thanks or displayed candy-coated smiles.

Clancy Cone drove his ’62 red and white Falcon/Ranchero loaded with the Beauty Ranger and the Deputy Debs, resplendent in western hats, lots of blonde curls, and outfits that Patsy Cline would covet. The group of babes needed to adapt to the western theme so they came up with a new idea.

Bobby Cone, alias the Beauty Ranger, was attired in a pink cowgirl hat and tiara. “Last year we were the pollinators and dressed as bees,” she said.

Floats, such as Camp Tuffit’s bubble-machine extravaganza and the Montana Hope Project’s pickleball fundraiser, were extra fun for everyone. Of course, the Dayton School kids marched and waved.

Dayton Daze’s parade is a melange of kids, fun, people of all ages, cars, pickups, smiles, and good neighborliness, exemplified when, after the parade, Brundage lead Shooter around so Marilyn Darling, 89, could have a horseback ride for her birthday – something she had always wanted.

“Although actually my birthday is in May,” Darling confessed from atop Shooter.

And the fun was not over. For those who wanted, there was a 3 p.m. taco bar at the Chuck Wagon Bar and Grill (although Shooter probably had hay and a bucket of water). There was also live music — Achilles Moroney at 3 p.m., the Kenny James Miller Band at 5 p.m., and Chris Bohenek at 7 p.m.— so people could dance, visit, and celebrate Dayton on a waning summer evening.

    Cowgirl June Tanninen, 2, stands by cowboys Cole Gillette, 3, and Jace Tanninen, 4, as they wait for the Dayton Daze Parade on Saturday. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
  

    Charlene Brundage and her horse, Shooter, carried the American flag to start the Dayton Daze Parade on Sept 6. Shooter is all decked out in stars and stripes horse paraphernalia with an American flag draped over his hindquarters. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
  

Camp Tuffit's entry in the Dayton Daze parade had bubbles, kids throwing candy, and smiles all around. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)