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A child watches the bell choir in First Bank of Montana in Chinook Friday, part of the community's Parade of Lights events.
People watch as a 4-H float lit with Christmas decorations drives by on Main Street in Chinook Friday during the Parade of Lights.
People from across the region and further beyond were in Chinook for the town's Parade of Lights and Christmas Stroll, a collection of annual events for the people of the area to experience together, including a parade, bell choir and more Friday.
Vendors set up shop in the Chinook Senior Center and Blaine County Library selling homemade goods to people throughout the day, which attendees seemed to like.
Stewart Green said he really loved all the displays, but they were late to the parade so he and his daughter couldn't stay long.
"Practically had to drag my girl away from some of that stuff," he said. " ... Ah, well. That's what Christmas is for, right?"
At First Bank of Montana hosted the Festival of Trees Silent Auction, which drew many attendees, as well as a bell choir which drew its own audience and added to the holiday atmosphere to the affair.
Many stores in Chinook were also decked out for the event and seemed to draw crowds as well.
Kelly Morris said he lives in Townsend and he brought his daughters, one of whom was from Missoula, to the event which he attends every year.
"We always come here," Morris said.
He said they'd only gone into one or two stores so far, but it seemed like everyone was having a good time, and the Chinook Friends of the Pool and Park Foundation had a pretty packed fundraiser earlier that evening as well, but now they're waiting on the parade.
Indeed, the Parade of Lights is arguably the centerpiece event of the evening with a series of floats created by local groups, businesses and institutions.
Float drivers and riders threw candy to the children watching them go by, and Mr. and Mrs. Claus could be seen among the procession, after listening to the wishes of local children, of course.
Kylie McKenna said she'd been to the parade a few times when she was younger, but this one was really good.
McKenna said she's gone to events like this before in other towns while visiting friends but she likes the "more mellow, relaxed feel" of Chinook's.
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