HELENA – Friday was Vigilante Day in Helena. It was marked by the iconic parade, where high school students show off historical floats they designed and built.
It’s one of the longest continuous running parades in the country, and a Helena tradition for all ages.
This year was the 95th year.
MTN spoke with many people downtown who have been attending for decades to watch the marching bands perform and see the finished floats.
This year’s parade featured 83 floats, and more than one third of Helena area high school students participated.
The Benton won Grand Champion for Best Float. To see a full list of winners, click here.
The parade started in 1924, as an alternative to the yearly junior senior brawl. Principal Roberts, the principal at the time, said students really took to the idea. Since then, it’s evolved into what we see today.
You can read more about the parade and its history here.
