Despite an evening rain, the second annual 4th of July Shindig at Kleffner Ranch successfully showcased two Montana performers and a Nashville singer-songwriter plus a barn dance, yard games, food trucks, a kid’s barrel train, and great views of East Helena’s fireworks display.
Event organizer Austin Young, who was aided by his wife Ashley, said he launched the holiday gathering in 2024 to determine whether the ranch could host more public events. Attendance last year reached an estimated 600 – not including children, who enter for free – but this year’s storms kept visitor totals below that number.
Montana guitarist Dan Henry played in The Grove – a stretch of lawn that held yard games and a live music tent. After dark clouds gathered, fellow Montana singer Lance Handyside played in the barn due to reports of stormy weather.
