LIVINGSTON — Chairs lined the streets of downtown Livingston before sunrise on July 2nd as community members staked their spots for the town’s beloved tradition: the Livingston Roundup Parade. By 6:15 a.m., residents and visitors were already gearing up to celebrate 101 years of small-town pride.
“It’s always been the kick-off to the rodeo season, which is one of the largest rodeos in the state,” said Leslie Feigel, CEO of the Livingston Chamber of Commerce.
According to Feigel, the parade has drawn crowds of more than 12,000 people.
“We have more floats—between the freestyle, the patriotic, and the theme of the parade float—than we have ever had,” Feigel said.
Curious about the 101 years of tradition that is the Livingston Roundup Parade? Click to watch our video and discover the stories behind the celebration
Among the vibrant red, white, and blue displays was a float honoring some of the area’s earliest settlers. Cheryl Robinson, president of the Pioneers, a group dedicated to preserving local history, said her organization has been sharing stories about the region’s founding families for decades.
“The Pioneers have been in existence for 87 years,” Robinson explained.
This year’s float featured handcrafted tributes to influential figures in Livingston’s history.
“I could have had hundreds of them, but I didn’t have that many boxes,” Robinson said, showing off the display.
For Robinson, participating in the parade carries on a family tradition that spans generations.
“We always came to the parade. My family always did,” she said. “We usually had a float, and when our ranch turned 100, we had generations of our family on a float.”
Historic photos show that the Livingston Roundup Parade has been the place to be for nearly a century. In one black-and-white image from 1926, the Princess of Sweden can be seen attending the event—a reminder that this small-town celebration has long drawn visitors from across the globe.
“You know, it’s something that people from all over come and they hear about,” Feigel said. “That’s a really cool thing, and they want to come be part of our history.”
Robinson believes it’s the sense of patriotism that keeps people coming back year after year.
“I think parades—especially small-town parades—bring that out in people,” she said.
