Fort Benton Summer Celebration draws thousands

One parade young parade spectator, Kenady Bogart, says, “I didn’t think they were going to throw candy this year, the candy was the best, but I also liked the old-time cars and stuff.”

This year, parade organizers implemented a change: a new $20 float entry fee to help organizers cover rising costs.

Parade Chairman and Board Member for the Fort Benton Summer Celebration, Tony Peres, explains, “The parade has always been free, but with the cost of everything, our insurance went up, everything went up – the cost of everything is rising. It was met with a little pushback, which we expected and I understand, but unfortunately it was a necessary evil and we didn’t have much of a choice.”