Choteau's Independence Day Celebration

Welcome to Choteau for the annual Independence Day Celebration. This summer's activities will start on July 1 and don't wrap up until nightfall on July 4.

Tickets for all Choteau Fourth of July activities are on sale now from various clubs and main street merchants.

Here's a brief schedule of events for this year's Best Independence Day Bash in Montana:

Saturday, July 1

The Jaycees' Choteau Summer Festival (formerly Art on the Green) will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the Choteau City Park. The Summer Festival is an open arts and craft show with a musical flair. Shoppers will find great Christmas, birthday and housewarming gifts here. Drawings and prizes also given away. Lunch concessions will be sold. At noon, the Prairie Mountain Players Community Band will present a free outdoor concert in the park and other musical entertainment will be ongoing throughout the day. For information on the Choteau Summer Festival, contact Kama Morton at 406-4665480, kd@gmail.com, or Cori McKay at 406-4663139 or corimckay@hotmail.com.

In conjunction with the Summer Festival, the Choteau Soroptimists' Kids Carnival and Duck Races will also be held in the park. The carnival, featuring children's games, face painting, and prizes, starts at 11 a.m. and the Duck Races at 1 p.m. Sales of Duck Race tickets benefit the many community projects that the Soroptimists undertake. For Duck Race tickets, contact any member of the Soroptimists or Country Hallmark in Choteau at 406-466-5977.

Also on July 1 local youth rodeo enthusiasts are holding the Choteau Junior Rodeo, starting at 11 a.m., at the Choteau Rodeo Grounds. Call Mary Salmond at 406-466-2000. Kids will compete in such events as goat tying, pole bending, barrel racing and more.

Sunday, July 2

Another full day for visitors and local residents is planned on Sunday, July 2. The Choteau High School Class of 1956 will hold its 50-year reunion from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Choteau City Park and Pavilion. Call Clark Olson, 406-466-5589, for more information.

The Roxy Theatre will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a local talent Variety Show, time to be announced, in the theater in Choteau. The theater was remodeled several years ago to incorporate a stage for live performances.

Sunday evening, the Choteau Boxing Club and Choteau Volunteer Fire Department will present a Boxing Smoker, starting at 6 p.m., at the Choteau Rodeo Grounds.

Monday, July 3

Monday's usually just another work day, but plan to take an extra day off to attend all these fun events. The Choteau Volunteer Fire Department will host a "Keg Hockey" tournament near the Choteau Fire Hall with registration, noon to 1 p.m., and competition starting at 1 p.m. The event will pit teams of youth and adults, rigged out in fire gear, trying to push an aluminum beer keg up and down the street behind the high velocity jet stream of a fire hose.

Also in the afternoon, the Choteau High School Class of 1966 will host its 40-year reunion, starting at 2 p.m. at the Choteau Country Club. A BBQ dinner will be served at 4 p.m. Call Stensons at 406-466-2764 or Pauluses at 406-466-2857.

On the evening of July 3rd, the Choteau Jaycees will serve a barbecue dinner, starting at 5 p.m., at the Choteau Rodeo Grounds and will then present Tom Russell in concert outdoors at the rodeo grounds at 7 p.m. Tom Russell is a long-time singer and songwriter, currently based in El Paso, Texas, who has performed several times on The Late Show with David Letterman and who has written hit songs for performers including Johnny Cash and Suzy Bogguss.

Tuesday, July 4

Independence Day gets off to an early start with the Grizzly Marathon 5K & 10K Fun Run. Walkers and runners of all ages are invited to participate. Registration starts at 7 a.m. on the northwest corner of the Choteau City Park. Races start at 8 a.m.

The Choteau Chamber of Commerce Parade, which starts at 10 a.m., will feature a variety of youth, civic and business floats, the local community band, cowboys and horses, and antique cars. This year's theme is: "Choteau Goes Disney."

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Chamber of Commerce will serve a Steak Fry in the City Park and Pavilion. The chamber's biggest fund-raiser of the year, this great homemade picnic includes steak, hot dogs, tossed salad, homemade potato chips, baked beans, roast beef and ice cream.

At 2 p.m. the American Legion NRA Rodeo will showcase Montana's finest Northern Rodeo Association cowboys and cowgirls. Events include bullriding, bareback and saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, calf roping and, a crowd favorite, wild cow milking. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Choteau Trading Post or by calling 406-466-5354.

The week of events will wrap up Tuesday evening with the community fireworks show. This program is entirely funded by donations. If you would like to contribute, please send checks to the Choteau City Office, P.O. Box 619, Choteau, MT 59422.