GREAT FALLS — The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) - Montana Council is hosting its first-ever International Scout Expo at Montana ExpoPark in Great Falls.
About 1,200 Scouts and leaders from 165 units are registered, representing nine states – Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas, Oregon, California, Louisiana, Minnesota, Idaho and Montana – and Canada.
Scouts of all ages are participating in scouting activities at the fairgrounds and throughout the community such as fishing, water sports at Wadsworth Pond and the Missouri River, shooting sports, mountain biking, climbing, art and leatherwork, first aid, and geocaching.
Canadian scout Kristin Isleifson said, "I came out here to meet new people and to kind of network in the community, and just to travel outside of the country for once."
Nicolas Gronlund from Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, said, "I'm personally here just to meet new scouts because I've never met anyone besides the people I know in my state, so I'm just excited to see how the scouts work, how the scouts work in Canada, and see around."
Great Falls scout Ben Rodgers said, "You get to connect with people from all over the country you would probably never interact with anymore in your life, you get to meet new people and just have a new experience."
Great Falls scout Lilli Light said, "It will be good to see people coming in from different states and Canada, and making new friends."
There will be a parade downtown on Saturday starting at 9 a.m., beginning at 8th Street and heading west, wrapping up at the Civic Center.
