HELENA — For more than 100 years, the Helena Vigilante Day Parade has brought students together through history and community, but this year, one parade float in particular is making sure that together really means everyone.
“I am excited to go and ride on the float,” said Brett Palmerton, a student at Capital High School.
Madelyn Heath reports - watch the video here:
The Helena Vigilante Day Parade, running since 1924, has long been a showcase of student creativity and Montana history, with handmade floats rolling down Last Chance Gulch.
This year, one float is standing out for a different reason. When Capital High School junior Olivia Lyndes realized that unified students (Special Olympics athletes) didn’t have a float, she stepped in, determined to change that.
“I think it is really important, and I think it is something everyone needs to be a part of, and that it should be fun for everyone, and everyone should get to do it,” Lyndes noted.
Lyndes quickly got to work, reaching out to local businesses that donated the materials and bringing students together to build something meaningful.
“This is my first time doing this before, and I really like flowers and a lot of the stuff on our float,” Willow Young, a unified student at Capital High, shared.
The team of students settled on a Tizer Botanic Garden themed float.
Lyndes said, “They kind of want to dress up as ogres and fairies, so I thought this would be perfect and fun.”
More than just building a whimsical float, she’s building connections, working side-by-side with unified students to create an experience rooted in inclusion and pride.
“I am so excited to ride this float with my friends,” Young expressed.
This float represents more than tradition; it’s a symbol of what can happen when we all come together.
Dallas Dixon is also a unified student at Capital and shared, “She brings us together and brings us into a big group like a family.”
Thanks to that effort, Capital High’s unified students won’t just be in the parade; they’ll be right at the heart of it.
KTVH will stream the 2026 Vigilante Day Parade on our Facebook page.
