Hi-Line Living: 11th Annual Sugarbeet Festival

Chinook's Sugarbeet Festival was once again a success and brought hundreds of people to partake in the weekend's festivities.

The festival every year has a theme that celebrates local industry and business and this year it was the electrical industry. The theme for the 11th annual festival brought pole climbing for the public, speed climbing done by professionals in the industry, bucket truck rides, power pole framing, hurtman rescue demonstrations, power pole relays, and a look-alike contest in which people dressed up like a power pole lineman.

In addition to the celebrations of the electrical industry, the festival had its usual schedule of events - the drive-in movie, horseshoe tournament, sugarbeet contest, barbecues and more.

The event that brings the most people to the streets every year is the parade, which goes down the main street and then wraps around the block for a second volley through the crowds gathered on the sidewalks. Many floats featured an electricity theme, as well as tributes to causes and hobbies from the area. The Democratic party dressed up as Republican candidates, complete with a man in blackface playing candidate Ben Carson.

Heavy equipment used for fixing and maintaining power lines rolled down the street, along with the traditional representatives from 4-H, the Blaine County Fire Department and many other organizations.