Article published Jun 24, 2007

Fort Benton gives summer a fitting kickstart

By KATIE MICHEL

Tribune Staff Writer

Summer is officially here, and it started with a bang in Fort Benton.

Visitors and residents converged on Fort Benton on Saturday to celebrate the 31st annual Summer Celebration, where the past and present happily mingled.

Re-enactors donned pioneer costumes — complete with muskets — while Boy Scouts tended a faux fire on a float in a downtown parade. Arts and crafts booths dotted the town's Steamboat Levee, and the smell of barbecue and tacos filled the air.

Crowds filled the streets to watch floats drift by historic buildings, a reminder that Fort Benton is one of the oldest towns in Montana.

Among the onlookers were members of the Great Falls Scarlet Blossoms chapter of the Red Hat Society.

"We came to enjoy the day," said Stephanie Simmons, a Red Hat member. "We came for the shopping and to have a good time."

Another Red Hat member had a different agenda.

"Well I've come to watch the men in skirts," said Toni Bender. "That's why I go to the parades."

Floats eventually filed past the Culbertson House, a home built by the nephew of Major Alexander Culbertson, founder of Fort Benton. Dating back to 1882, the house is landmark in Fort Benton, and its balcony served as an observation deck during the parade.

Patriot Guard Riders, a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who ride to honor war veterans, revved their engines, while draft horses pulled wagons carrying a band of traders, bandits and boozers known as the Missouri Breaks Gang. The gun-waving acting group aimed to bring a little Wild West back to modern Fort Benton.

The parade was a venue for politics, too. A float by Citizens for Clean Energy displayed the group's opposition to the coal-fired power plant proposed near Highwood.

It also resembled Mardi Gras, as members of the Benton Pharmacy float threw beads into an eager crowd.

Governor Brian Schweitzer made an appearance in a convertible, throwing candy to the crowd while his dog, Jag, sat on his lap.

The three-day event, which started on Friday, gave residents of nearby towns a reason to hit the road, and it gave Fort Benton residents an occasion to catch up with old friends.

"This is the time people come back to Fort Benton," said Winnie Appleby, owner of the Pioneer Lodge. "There's so many people I've forgotten in the past year. It's a good chance to see them."

Almost quadrupling Fort Benton's population, Summer Celebration brings in visitors from all over the country. The hotels fill quickly.

"I've started a file for next year's celebration," Appleby said, adding that the Pioneer Lodge was booked for next year a month before this year's celebration.

The day started with a breakfast in the park, and runners lined up at the Lewis & Clark statue to run the one-mile, 5K, and 10K races.

Old Fort Park hosted booths filled with paintings, jewelry, furniture, clothing and other wares for sale.

Kathy and David Christensen of Clancy own a woodworking company that specializes in signs, shelves and other pine products. They've set up a booth at Summer Celebration for the past seven years.

"We enjoy the community, the celebration and the accommodations," said Kathy Christensen. "They have something going on all the time, something for everyone."

For David Christensen, the friendly atmosphere and history of the town make Summer Celebration one of his favorite events to sell at.

"This is kind of like down-home days," David Christensen said. "That's why we like it. It's amazing to watch."

A pontoon boat buzzed down the Missouri giving tours, while University of Montana mascot, Monte, did somersaults and hugged kids and other bystanders on Front Street.

Once darkness took over the sky, a fireworks display lit Steamboat Levee and the Missouri River.

Once a year, Cheryl Bannes, a Lewistown artist, packs up her paintings and handmade jewelry and heads for Summer Celebration. This is her booth's fifth year.

"It's a really well-run show and a really fun weekend. That's why I keep coming back." Bannes said.

A friend she met at last year's event stopped in to say hello. "That's also why I like coming here," she said. "I make friends every year."