Potatoes may have put Manhattan on the map, but 40 years of local heritage took center stage on Saturday at the town’s annual Potato Festival.
The festival began as a way to celebrate the local farmers who helped turn Manhattan, along with the nearby Amsterdam and Churchill areas, into Montana's potato capital. On Saturday, that legacy took the shape of a classic small-town block party, with hundreds of people crowding a closed-off Main Street and milling through Railroad Park to visit rows of local artisans, community groups, and food stands.
The festival’s two primary organizers, Lori Myers and Vickie Johnson, took over planning six years ago when the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce decided to give it up in 2021.
“We picked it up because we knew the community loved having it,” Johnson said.
Keeping that tradition alive is a year-round commitment. Myers alone logged roughly 750 hours preparing for this year’s day-long event, and she was quick to point out she’s far from the only volunteer putting in the work.
“We start planning again in September,” Myers said.
To honor the milestone anniversary, Myers and Johnson gathered 40 photos, one from each year of the festival, and crafted them into two commemorative quilts for a raffle. They originally planned to fit all 40 photos onto a single quilt, Myers said, but during the design process, they realized they would either have to cut down the photo count or make two.
“It was so beautiful, and that project was really special,” Myers said. “The downside was separating the quilts. The positive side was two people get to enjoy them.”
As it turned out, the feeling was mutual for Hotdoggers Lauren Trippeer and Aiden Jaffe, who are currently driving the 27-foot-long Oscar Mayer Wienermobile across the country on a year-long stint.
“I have to say, Manhattan has been a highlight,” Trippeer said. “This was, as a team, our first parade, so it was a huge deal. I was not expecting the number of people to be here, it was such a huge crowd.”
Though it was the Wienermobile’s first year at the festival, Trippeer and Jaffe noted the visit was years in the making.
“The top dogs at Oscar Mayer determine what cities we go to and what events we run,” Trippeer said. “I know that the Manhattan Potato Festival has requested us for many years, so we’re thrilled we finally got to make it out here.”
Meanwhile, the festival's classic potato-centric traditions carried on as usual, anchored by the senior center’s annual baked potato fundraiser. Emma Burke, who took over as executive director in May, was leading her first festival and didn't expect such a massive turnout. By 2 p.m., the fundraiser had completely run out of food.
“We definitely needed more food than we thought we did,” Burke said. “Which is a good problem to have.”
Beyond local crowds, Myers noted that the festival routinely draws visitors from neighboring states and across the country. Many of those out-of-towners filtered from the outdoor vendor booths directly into the brick-and-mortar small businesses along Main Street.
That steady foot traffic delivered a big boost to local shop owners, including Cindy Larson of Palomino Ranch Boutique. Larson said her sales had already outpaced last year’s Potato Festival total before Saturday's event even wrapped up.
“I’ve had a lot of comments about Manhattan really growing,” Larson said. “When you come into town, there’s a lot more to do. Now, there’s the wine bar opening, the pizza place has expanded, there’s an antique store.”
With another successful Potato Festival in the books, Myers said she and her fellow organizers plan to take a brief breather to rest and regroup before planning begins all over again next month.