Fair Parade brought back from brink

by John Dowd

The Ravalli County Fair Parade nearly disappeared this year after longtime organizers retired and no one stepped forward to take their place.

Tiffany Webber, a registered nurse and director of Ravalli County Public Health, said she was frustrated when the county advertised for someone to organize the parade but received no interest. “I was mad,” Webber said. 

The parade had been organized by the local chamber for years before responsibility transitioned to the county two years ago. After the organizers retired, it appeared the event might not continue. Webber approached the county commissioners, who suggested she take over organizing it. “Don’t be ridiculous, I don’t know the first thing about hosting a parade,” Webber recalled telling them.

But Webber, who has lived in the Bitterroot Valley her entire life, said the parade has been part of her life since childhood. “I’ve been going to the Fair Parade since I was a little girl,” she said. Webber ultimately agreed to help bring the event back, working with the Ravalli County Office of Emergency Management. Erik Hoover, the county’s emergency management director, and Jeff Rodrick, the public health and emergency preparedness coordinator, also helped organize the parade. 

The three volunteered their time and are not being paid by the county for their work on the event. “No one is getting paid and gosh darn it, we’re happy to do it,” Webber said. Taking over the parade also gave the county an opportunity to make changes, particularly when it came to safety. Webber’s public health responsibilities include reviewing deaths of children under 18 and making recommendations aimed at preventing similar incidents. A child was killed last year in an accident at a homecoming parade, an experience that influenced some of the changes made to the Fair Parade.

One of the new rules prohibits participants from throwing candy from floats or vehicles. Instead, people can walk alongside a float or vehicle and hand candy directly to children. The concern, Webber said, is that children can dart into the street to retrieve candy, creating a dangerous situation.

The organizers also hope to add barriers along the parade route next year to further separate spectators from parade traffic.

This year, participants were required to provide proof of insurance and a valid driver’s license. Webber said the requirements were influenced in part by an incident that occurred several years ago in which a four-year-old riding a dirt bike lost control and entered the crowd, injuring people.

The organizers also made changes to the number of vehicles allowed in individual entries. In previous years, groups paid $10 and could have as many vehicles as they wanted. This year, the entry fee was $30, with groups limited to two vehicles. The change was partly necessary because of limited space available for staging the parade.

More than 150 entries participated last year, along with numerous additional vehicles, Webber said. The parade itself lasts about 90 minutes, meaning roads around homes and businesses can remain blocked for an extended period of time. “This event is impacting residents,” Webber said. “It needs to be a little more streamlined so we can be more courteous to people who own their homes and pay taxes.”

Despite the changes, Webber said the goal is to preserve the spirit of the parade and allow it to grow. After the work of Webber and her team, instead of going defunct, the parade returned with 92 entries, new safety requirements and a new group of organizers determined to keep the longtime community tradition going. This will continue to grow,” she said.

Organizers kept the traditional judging categories and judges this year, but Webber said they are considering adding a fan-favorite award next year. One possibility is using a QR code system to allow spectators to vote for their favorite entry. She would also like to see more high school marching bands participate.

For Webber, the most important goal is making sure the parade remains a community tradition. “We want people to have a good time and be safe,” she said. Webber said she hopes the current group will be able to volunteer again next year but acknowledged they will need more help from the community.

“It’s an absolute privilege and an honor that they have trusted me with this,” she said. “I would hate to see this go away.”