HELENA — City of Helena staff say they have found a way to keep the Vigilante Day Parade on its historic route while addressing safety concerns.

Last week, City Manager Tim Burton told the city commission that there were serious considerations to change the parade route from Last Chance Gulch along the Walking Mall to Cruse Avenue.

Burton noted that safety concerns – namely maintaining emergency vehicle access to the Walking Mall – were the primary reason for looking at alternative routes.

The proposed change saw significant pushback on social media.

City discusses proposed parade route change at March 10 meeting:

On Monday, the City published a memo from Burton to the city commission detailing a plan that would see the route continue through the Walking Mall but limit the size of vehicles and make other safety improvements.

In the memo, Burton noted city staff worked with Helena Public Schools to develop the new proposed plan which includes:

• Limit vehicle and trailer size. Trucks larger than 1-ton pickups will not be allowed. Trailer deck length will be limited to 25 feet.
• Space vehicles on the Walking Mall. The City will provide staff to control the distance between vehicles as they enter the Walking Mall, to allow for more adequate space if an emergency response vehicle needs to enter the parade route.
• The intersection of 6th Avenue and Last Chance Gulch will be unobstructed. Crowd managers will ensure spectators don’t block the intersection.
• Barrier placement on the Walking Mall. Crowd managers will ensure barriers remain appropriately distanced apart throughout the Walking Mall.

“We appreciate the School District’s commitment to working through the safety issues with the City and ensuring that the parade continues in its current format,” wrote Burton in the memo.
Burton said the City will continue to look at improvements regarding the Special Event Permit process and event safety. Those conversations will include event organizers, the Downtown Business Improvement District, and other key partners to ensure stakeholder representation.

The Helena City Commission will make the final decision on the proposed plan. They are scheduled to discuss parade safety at their 4:00 p.m. Mar. 19 administrative meeting.

The heritage and history parade, put on by high school students, is a staple of Helena. Much of the Queen City shuts down to attend the event.

Learn about the history of the Vigilante Day Parade:

Since its inception in 1924, the Vigilante Day Parade has almost always run down Last Chance Gulch. The only exceptions were during the pandemic and World War II when the parade was canceled.

The Vigilante Day Parade is one of the largest running parades in the United States. Thousands of spectators pack downtown Helena each year to watch the parade and cheer on the students.

(Watch MTN's special on the 100th anniversary of the Vigilante Day Parade)