BROADWAY BLOCK PARTY BRINGS OUT THE BIKES
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
The inaugural Broadway Street Block Party brought out beautiful motorcycles and great music Saturday evening as part of Townsend’s Fourth of July events. It was a tough lift for the organizers however.
Amber and Jim Burgess, owners of the Fishtale Tavern and Commercial Bar owner John Fuchs had worked on planning the event since last February when they approached Townsend City Council about closing off two blocks of Broadway to set up a bandstand and promote a motorcycle “Show and Shine” event. Council members approved the event, along with support from Sheriff Nick Rauser who agreed to monitor the event.
It fell upon the City Staff to file the proper application to the Montana Department of Highways Bozeman District which has jurisdiction over Broadway Street as a part of US Highway 12, according to Fuchs. He said he learned the paperwork needed to go from Townsend to the Three Forks Highway Department, then to Bozeman and back. “Since we didn’t hear back, or receive our permit in the mail, on the first of last week I started calling the Bozeman office. Turns out we did not have a signage and detour plan in place for the application. We really started to hustle then,” he explained.
By the time everything was in place, it was Thursday. In the meantime, Fuchs called on Townsend Rotary and Pat Plantenberg who came up with street barriers as well as Townsend Division Department of Highways employee Scott Hufnagel who provided signs. With the proper signs and barriers plan in place, finally, Thursday afternoon, Fuchs received the permit. Whew!
Mrs. Burgess said otherwise planning went very well. They were able to gather enough sponsors at $500 and $250 donations that they could pay the disc jockey, Ian McGuire of White Sulphur Springs and the various bands who played until 1:00 a.m. as promised in the organizers’ program.
Both Mrs. Burgess and Fuchs gave much praise to Townsend businesses, the Sheriff’s Department and an Emergency Medical Technician, JD Burgess, all of whom donated their time to making the event successful. “I am hoping we can make this even bigger and better next year since we learned the ropes about how to make it happen. We would like to have family activities early in the day, then more entertainment for the adults in the evening,” she said as she ate her hotdog on the run.
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PhotoCredit: Nancy Marks
Image 1 Caption: Townsend’s Karilyn Gifford bought her first road bike, a 2010 Harley Heritage Softil and has put 1,500 miles on it
Image 2 Caption: DJ Ian McGuire of White Sulphur Springs gives a thumbs up as his high intensity speakers belt out “We Will Rock You.”
Image 3 Caption: Admirers enjoyed seeing bikes and more bikes on the street.
Image 4 Caption: American Legion leader Larry Westfall and assistant present the flag for the Star Spangled Banner.
