4th of July Across Blaine County

Blaine County did not have a shortage of celebrations in the communities that call this county home, many annual events are kept alive by its residents. The southside of Blaine County, on the beautiful Fort Belknap Indian Reservation the Martin Family hosted yet another successful "Hays Fourth of July Fun Day and Fireworks Display." The day consisted of; mud tug of war, mud volleyball, a horseshoe tournament and an "Independence Challenge" with categories for men, women, teens and children. The "Independence Challenge" consisted of many obstacles such as running, jumping large round bales and a huge slip and slide. The strength that this event requires to complete is no match to the entertainment it provides to the spectators. Everyone from the elders of the community to the youngest future leaders attended the event to share a meal and laughs as they celebrated the holiday.

Throughout the year the Martins Family conducts many fundraisers to make this event possible for the community. An event that young and old look forward to each year. The annual event has been celebrated for many years by the community, it was started in 1980 by Harold "Prune" Martin Sr., as a fireworks display and grew through the years. In 2014 the "Independent Challenge" made its debut and has been a highly awaited and entertaining event ever since and will continue to grow. The Martin family proudly carry on the tradition along with many volunteers to help the event each year run smoothly.

The evening ended with a beautiful display of fireworks organized by the family and volunteers, monitored for safety by local law enforcement and the volunteer fire department.

The city of Harlem also hosted an annual event, the Harlem Civic Association hosted their annual Potluck Picnic in the city park. I spoke with Kayla Hudon, a member of the association. Kayla, was happy with the turn out, although the weather did affect the duration and activities, community members were still able to enjoy great food and even better conversation.