Summer Festivals Worth Weight Shouldered by Civic Groups

Many small rural communities in north-central Montana — like Dutton, Conrad and Choteau — put on summer festivals that raise funds for a variety of community programs. As the population in these small towns continues to shrink, organizers are coaxing along an evolution in the way these events are run to pump more If there were a way to distill the identity of these small towns into one weekend, the summer festivals along the Rocky Mountain Front would be that manifestation. Imagine rodeos and country music, quilt shows and beer gardens, fun runs and, formerly, demolition derbies.

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