Thousands celebrate Pioneer Days in Ronan
Wild bison riding was just one of the many exciting events available for visitors to the Pioneer Days celebration in Ronan this weekend. (Marla Hall Photo)
Multiple teams joined in the fun during an obstacle court at Ronan Pioneer Days on Saturday afternoon.
Parents scurry to find their kids-wearing the same white shirt and with fists full of candy-on Saturday during a scramble for the Kiddie/City Slicker Rodeo at Ronan Pioneer Days.
Maizey McDonald, of Charlo, poses for a picture after participating in the Kiddie/City Slicker Rodeo Saturday afternoon during Ronan Pioneer Days.
Kids and parents alike cooled down Saturday afternoon as the Ronan Fire Department sprayed everyone with water after participating in activities for the Kiddie/City Slicker Rodeo at Ronan Pioneer Days. (Ashley Fox/Lake County Leader)
Kids take part in a challenge Saturday afternoon at Ronan Pioneer Days. Four teams with five people had to fill tubs of water, with the team doing so first, winning. Everyone received participation certificates for ice cream.
Over the course of the last four decades, Ronan Pioneer Days has welcomed thousands of people to the city of Ronan, and this year’s celebration was no different.
Secretary for the nonprofit Ronan Pioneer Days, Co., Justine Welker, said that usually the festivities bring anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 people.
“It’s spread out through the entire town,” she said, adding that officials “definitely like to see” revenue created by the weekend.
Ronan Pioneer Days is a three-day, city-wide event with various outdoor activities that include a basketball tournament, softball tournament and different rodeos.
The nonprofit teams up with community groups to bring the celebration to fruition, Welker said, making it “a team event.”
Proceeds raised throughout the weekend benefit the community.
“We give away two $500 scholarship,” Welker said. One of fundraisers that was offered to help fund those awards was a 50/50 button raffle.”
Making the weekend a possibility is a “bare bones” group of six to eight people, along with anywhere from 50-60 volunteers helping throughout the weekend.
Enjoying the sun and activities that organizers set up were hundreds of kids and their parents.
On Saturday, shrieks of excited youths were running around the rodeo arena at the Ronan fairgrounds for the Kiddie/City Slicker Rodeo that started at noon.
Maizey McDonald, 8, of Charlo, was one of those excited kids.
“I participated in most of the events,” she said, giggling after taking part in getting drenched, along with hundreds of kids and their parents, by the Ronan Volunteer Firefighter Department.
Dressed in a tank top and jeans, she put on a white shirt that was provided to all kids for a scramble.
The children, with fists of candy, were told to run away from their parents, which McDonald did.
Following the scramble, the Ronan Volunteer Fire Department cooled off parents and kids alike by soaking the arena, and the crowd, with water from a tanker.
McDonald’s mother, Sara, who also took part in the scramble, watched from a distance as a sea of kids and adults danced and ran from the fire hose.
McDonald said that her family has gone to Pioneer Days before, and she looks forward to going again next year.
For each activity, participants received a coupon for treats in the community from local businesses.