Find 20 Acres of Montana Lawn And Fill It With People
Daly Days this weekend in Hamilton celebrates the Bitterroot legacy of Marcus and Margaret Daly, founders and benefactors of the town of Hamilton. The Hamilton Downtown Association and others have a great weekend scheduled on Main Street, but the Daly Mansion grounds northeast of Hamilton is an equally important destination Saturday.
During the morning and into the early afternoon, The Daly Mansion Preservation Trust has "Living History" presentations all day about History of the Apple Boom by the Ravalli County Museum, along with a booth about Sheep Raising in the Valley and another from Number One Draft Horse Rescue, along with re-enactors by the historic outbuildings, including inside the rarely opened Play House southwest of the main building. There will be carriage rides by Live Oak Belgians, an old-fashioned bake sale, handchurned ice cream and music by the Bitterroot Ragtime Society. Admission to the grounds is free. There is a cost for the food and the carriage rides.
At 1 p.m. the registration booth opens for the Bitterroot Brew Fest, also at the mansion grounds. You can still get onto the grounds free, but $35 will get you a glass and unlimited tastings from commercial beers and local brews. There will be music by Andrea Harsell at 2 p.m. and The Quick and Easy Boys at 5:30 p.m., with the events wrapping up at 8 p.m. You can park at the Mansion parking lot or take a shuttle (running every half hour) from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. from Hamilton High School or Hamilton Post office parking lots. Proceeds from the Brew Fest will benefit both the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Daly Mansion.
And, if that's not enough for you on Daly Days, the Ravalli County Fairgrounds will be having "Bulls, Broncs and Honky Tonks" at the main arena with Iron Cowgirl competition in the afternoon, Bulls and Broncs in the evening and a dance in the First Interstate Event Center at 8 p.m. with ShoDown.