Last festival of the summer: Dayton Daze
Three-year old Kiera Heffner and her pup Squeeker ride along in a mini Ford F-150 during Saturday’s Dayton Daze parade.
Hunter and baby sister Heidi, nine months, enjoy playing on the moonbounce at last Saturday's 19th annual Dayton Daze celebration.
Members of the Montana Honor Guard followed by The Great Scots, open up the annual parade at last Saturday's Dayton Daze.
A Chief Cliff Fire Department truck adorned in the red, white and blue wades through the parade route during Saturday's annual Dayton Daze. The event coincided with the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
19-month old Amaja West gets a treat from Jim Terry during last Saturday's annual Dayton Daze parade.
Nine-month old Heidi gets ready to a sailboat ride from the Hafferman's during the 19th annual Dayton Daze celebration on Saturday.
DAYTON — One of summer's final celebrations occurred last Saturday as hundreds came out to enjoy the 19th annual Dayton Daze.
Including bake and rummage sales, games, free sailboat rides and one of the biggest and best parades in the valley, the Daze proved an unequivocal success on a gorgeous day that proved fall may be just around the corner.
Boat owners like Kurt and Kathy Hafferman took attendees on sailboat rides on a day with a strong sailing wind. Their Rawson 26, released in 1966, is one the first fiberglass boats built and has some history as well. Moose Miller, founder and owner of Moose's Saloon in Kalispell and an avid sailor, originally owned the boat. Kurt has owned the vessel for seven years and has had nothing but great memories.
“We give rides at Dayton Daze every year,” he said. “Sailing is a whole way of life.”
Landlubbers had plenty of entertainment as well. Live music, a pig roast benefiting the Chief Cliff Volunteer Fire Department and a bazaar and bake sale provided plenty of family fun. The day was topped off with the Dayton Daze parade, which featured approximately 50 entries. From battery powered toy cars, four-wheelers, retro fire trucks, vintage vehicles, to buggies, cars with antlers and high-powered motorcycles, the parade certainly did not disappoint the large crowd lining the street. Even 3-year-old Kiera Heffner got into the act, rolling down the avenue in her battery-powered Ford F-150 with her puppy Skeeter. Other floats included a flatbed with students, teachers and parents from the Dayton School and plenty of fire engines from volunteer fire departments like Rollins and Chief Cliff. The parade made two loops around town as the parade's official announcers bantered with the crowd.
Chief Cliff Volunteer Fire Department Secretary Zoe Lilja said the parade was one of the best ever, with a big crowd and great weather bringing everyone out to enjoy the day.
“Everyone agreed, we've never had a parade that stretches around the whole block,” Lilja said, noting that entries in the parade increased drastically over last year. “We raised more than $3,000 in raffle tickets and had a good turnout all around.”