From Dolly Parton to the Statue of Liberty and the “Leaning Tower of Pizza,” hay bales around Ronan have transformed into creative landmarks as the community welcomes another year of the Chamber of Commerce Harvest Festival. 

Harvest Festival brings vendors, food, games and community together on Saturday, Sept. 19. This year also features a new Trail of Bales theme, “Around the World,” where local businesses have bales all over Ronan decorated in their best travel gear and landmark locations. 

A popular bale this year is done by J&K Town & Country Salon, in tribute to the late country singer Dolly Parton. Positioned outside their storefront in downtown Ronan, the blue bale features a handmade Parton with a painted-on poster board face and hair made from a hula skirt to achieve Parton’s iconic look. 

“We’re all country fans, so it was pretty easy to decide what to do,” said Johnie Underwood at J&K Town & Country Salon. “She did the free children’s books, motivational speaking and was all around a great person. We all thought she would be fitting for the theme.” 

Another eye-catcher this year is the return of Belle, the mannequin’s hay bale in front of Bev’s Bloomers. Their “Lady Liberty Bale” features a mannequin Statue of Liberty staked on top of the hay, standing tall and proud over Highway 93.

“Getting her green was the hard part. We bought body paint, but it doesn’t dry, so we had it all over us,” said Bev Luedtke, owner of Bev’s Bloomers. “The longer we have Belle, the easier it gets every year to put her up.” 

Belle, the mannequin, is named after her first role as Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” from a Disney theme. Belle has also been used in other Trail of Bales themes as Prince, Joe Exotic, an Astronaut and Phoebe from the TV show “Friends.” 

More intricate travel bales are the Valley Bank of Ronan’s “Leaning Tower of Pizza” and the “Olympic Medal Bale” outside 406 Rifles in Ronan. 

“I'm of Italian descent; whenever the bales get delivered, they are always stacked and a little leaned over,” said Niclole Digiallonardo, a loan processor at Valley Bank of Ronan. “I just thought, ‘Yeah, that makes the most sense.’” 

Ally Luedtke at 406 Rifles thought the Olympics fit perfectly for the around-the-world theme. 

“We used a tomato cage for the torch, painted pool noodles for the rings and printed out different flags online to cover the bale with,” Luedtke said.

There’s no definite date yet on when bales will be picked up, but the bales will most likely be picked up this Thursday and Friday according to Justine Welker, serving her second year as president of Ronan Chamber of Commerce. 

Welker said she believes Harvest Festival started because community members came together and wanted to find a way to bring the community together to welcome fall. Trail of Bales is a fun tradition for that. 

“This year we have 30 vendors, coming from all over the Mission Valley and some from different parts of Western Montana,” Welker said. 

Returning again this year was “Hobby Made” by Michelle Thompson. She had a great time as a first time vendor last year and couldn't wait for this year’s. Selling her 3D-printed toys, a featured display of 3D-printed dragon book holders and her most popular attraction of hand-crocheted Pokémon plushies. 

“Last year I almost ran out of all my plushies, so I had to restock quickly for Winter Fest,” Thompson said. “I started crocheting six years ago and 3D printing three years ago. People really seem to love it.”  

Another return is from the Wildlife Management Program for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Their booth features many educational facts about different wildlife from the area and volunteer opportunities. 

“We have a big outreach with these events; this is our second year having a booth at Harvest Fest,” said Aliyah Durham with CSKT Wildlife Management. “Mainly we’ve been telling people about wildlife issues and what to look out for in our area.” 

Set up at their table are different examples of animal skulls, ranging from Elk and Deer to Porcupine and Beavers. Another aspect of their information table includes their “Bull Frog Crew,” which is a volunteer opportunity to help catch the invasive American Bullfrogs in the Mission Valley.  

Finally, a return of one of the longest participating vendors at Harvest Festival is Tracie McDonald. This is her 15th year here and vending at the Polson Market for 24 years with “Live Today Creations” displays her handmade jewelry and beaded earrings. 

“There’s always great volunteers here; I get a lot of business every year,” McDonald said. “You know what I love about it? The community really supports it and comes together. It’s a good gathering. I like to visit with everyone.”

The official date for announcing the Trail of Bales winners has not yet been decided. Welker estimates it will be announced around Oct. 1, and winners will receive a traveling trophy. Online voting ends Thursday, Sept. 24th. 

    Outside the Valley Bank of Ronan, the “Leaning Tower of Pizza” represents the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Piazza del Duomo, Italy. The stacked bales are covered in a white tablecloth, with brown spray-painted windows and pipe covers used for the arches. Then a signature cardboard pizza slice is positioned on the front. (Katie Mihalik/Leader)

 Emily Roach teaches kids about different animal horns and what a beaver skull looks like at the Wildlife Management Program booth during Harvest Festival on Sept. 19. (Katie Mihalik/Leader)
 The Stock Tank is a mobile dry bar and one of the food vendors at Harvest Festival on Sept. 19. Selling coffee, Red Bull energy drinks and other treats for the Ronan community. (Katie Mihalik/Leader)

 Right to left: Trista Krantz and Justine Welker, Ronan Chamber of Commerce President, stand and take in-person votes for the Trail of Bales contest at the Ronan Chamber of Commerce booth during Harvest Festival on Saturday, Sept. 19. (Katie Mihalik/Leader)

 Michelle Thompson displays her 3D dragon and dragon book holder prints at her booth during Harvest Festival on Sept. 19. In front of her booth is a display of her hand-crocheted plushies featuring animals and Pokémon characters. (Katie Mihalik/Leader)

 On the lawn of Bev’s Bloomers off of Highway 93 in Ronan is Belle, the mannequin, dressed as the Statue of Liberty. With a hand-drawn drawing of her pedestal positioned on the front of the bale. (Katie Mihalik/Leader)