This year’s Halfway to St. Paddy’s Day celebration in Kilkenny brought in nice weather with abundant sunshine with pleasant temperatures. One of the largest marching bands in the area, perhaps the state, also made an appearance during Saturday’s 35-unit parade at the request of Andrew McGuinness, mayor of the Kilkenny Municipal District in Ireland, the Lakeville South High School Marching Cougars.

    Area residents took full advantage of the event-filled day on Saturday at Lonsdale Community Days.
    Thousands took to the streets and businesses in downtown Lonsdale, starting with the annual Lonsdale Skywarn Breakfast. There were nearly 50 vendors along Main Street, where patrons could eat, drink, buy goods, ask questions, inquire about services, or learn some history.

    Lonsdale Community Days brings a day-plus of events for the family to enjoy, including a new laser light show at 10 p.m. on Saturday evening on North Main Street.
    This year’s grand marshal, Joe Peroutka, is most excited for the kid’s pedal tractor pull at 10 a.m. and Grand Parade at 1 p.m, which he and his family will be a part of. The full schedule of events can be seen on the ad on the back page of this issue of the Messenger.

    Montgomery’s 92nd Kolacky Day’s Grand Day Parade will commence at noon on Sunday, July 26, with about 100 units. This is down slightly from last year’s 110 units.
    The parade will start at Vine Avenue West and 3rd Street Northwest at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, travel south to Oak Avenue Southwest where it will go east two blocks by the Montgomery Public Library to go north on 1st Street South until it meets up with Boulevard Avenue Northwest to travel one block west, terminating at the city’s public works lot.

    The Montgomery Area Community Club (MACC) held its annual Kolacky Days Meet and Greet in Memorial Park Monday evening.
    Scott Smisek entertained attendees before the formal ceremony where people could grab a free kolacky and cookie or spend a few dollars on the new merchandise for the 92nd Annual Kolacky Days which will happen July 24-26.
    This year’s six candidates were introduced with their Little Sisters. The part of the event that everyone really waited for was the announcement of this year’s grand marshals. 

Le Center's Laynee Blashko was crowned Miss Shamrock for the 2026 St. Patrick's Day Festival at the coronation ceremony on Friday, March 13. Marissa Schroeder of Le Center was crowned Miss Irish Rose and Sierra McCabe of Cleveland was crowned Miss Leprechaun.

The parade and other festivities on Saturday afternoon went by without any issues from the impending blizzard. 

Look for the full story in the March 19, 2026, Montgomery Messenger.

While St. Patrick’s Day was still a week away, festivities kicked off Saturday at the Le Center American Legion Post 108 with the Miss Shamrock Talent Show.
            Three candidates are vying for the title of Miss Shamrock, Miss Leprechaun or Miss Irish Rose. The John Gregory O’Connell Scholarship will also be given to one of the candidates.

The 33rd Annual Torchlight Parade and Fireworks in downtown Montgomery on Thursday, Dec. 4, was definitely another bundle-up affair this year.

Temperatures hovered just barely above zero and all the hot foods and drinks along 1st Street were welcomed. As time progressed, the wind also picked up.

Santa Claus was there with his live reindeer again, letting all ages hop on the sleigh for a photo. The Amazing Hoopsters were back dazzling with fire and light-up hola-hoops before the parade in front of Frandsen Bank & Trust and in the parade.

The community’s biggest outdoor holiday event is tonight, Torchlight Parade & Fireworks.

Fun for the evening begins at 5 p.m. along 1st Street in Montgomery.

Entertainment by Schell’s Hobo Band, which will play downtown and at Park Manor (as well as the parade). Lakelanders Barbershop Chorus will stop by Traditions to sing some tunes as well as during the parade.

Most pre-events to the parade can be seen near the intersection of Vine Avenue and 1st Street.

We are happy to announce this year’s Torchlight Parade & Fireworks grand marshals, Axel Goettl, 8, and Alice Cemensky, 7.

These two second grader friends are both from Le Center. This will also be their first time partaking in the parade and fireworks for Torchlight. When we told them that there would be fireworks, Goettl’s eyes got real big in excitement. Both of them said they were nervous as the days have gotten closer to this year’s event.