Vendors, musicians join Ainsworth Park fun

Ainsworth Park was host to Fourth of July activities over the weekend as the Main Street Committee welcomed vendors and entertainment for the holiday.

Katie Curry of Billings brought her show pony, Velvet, to the parade on Sunday. Curry rode in a cart with her daughter Adeliah as Velvet pulled them along the walking path at the park. Curry said she was coming to Thompson Falls to visit the Toyias family for the holiday weekend and decided to bring Velvet along when she heard there was a parade. Curry said she has had Velvet for eight years.

Kids decorated their bicycles and wagons in all things red, white and blue for the parade. Jill Fairbank of Thompson Falls and her seven grandchildren walked with a covered wagon they decorated and were in matching hats and bandanas.

A variety of craft vendors and musicians attended the two-day celebration at Ainsworth Park. Heather Thompson Tims entertained a crowd Sunday afternoon, followed by Jennay Ovitt of Plains, the reigning Mrs. Montana Petite. Ovitt told of her Native American heritage and danced in honor of the spirits of missing and murdered indigenous Americans.

A small crowd gathered Sunday afternoon to watch Miss Montana, the restored World War II aircraft now owned by the Museum of Mountain Flying in Missoula, as it flew over Ainsworth Park.