90th Annual Ennis parade - 2026
10AM Main Street
Parade ~ Saturday, July 4th, 2026 ~ 10:00am
Rodeo ~ July 3rd and 4th, Ennis Rodeo grounds
Ennis Lions Club Picnic at Peter T’s Park - Immediately following the parade
Veteran’s Memorial Ceremony at Veteran’s Memorial Park - 12:00 pm
4th of July T-shirt pre-sale online
We’ll have a limited number of sizes and styles to sell on the 4th of july in front of the chamber office
4th of July Theme:
Our Town, Our Story
For nine decades, the people of Ennis have gathered on Main Street to celebrate independence, community, and the spirit of the American West. This year, we're honoring not just a holiday — but 90 years of living history in the heart of the Madison Valley. Additionally, the 250th celebration for our country!
Our Town, Our Story is a tribute to every ranching family that has worked this land, every fly fisher who has waded the legendary Madison River, every business owner who has kept our doors open, and every generation that has passed down what it means to be from Ennis, Montana.
Ennis has always welcomed those who find their way here and decide to stay. we're proud to honor the new faces who have joined our community and rolled up their sleeves — volunteering, organizing, and carrying forward the traditions that make this parade what it is. Our story isn't just the past. It's everyone who chooses to be part of what comes next.
What "Our Town, Our Story" really means is that for the 90th anniversary, the parade isn't just entertainment — it's a declaration that the people of Ennis are the story.
Our Grand Marshalls for 2026
Dr. Maura Davenport - Montana Physician of the Year
Pokey Armitage - Rancher, Ennis supporter, volunteer, high school sports aficionado
Thank you to these incredible people who have contributed to Ennis in the most impactful ways. They clearly live our theme of Our Town, Our Story. Thank you for your incredible contributions!
Dr. Maura Davenport:
I grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, went east for my undergraduate education and then immediately fled to the Rocky Mountains after college. I spent about a decade roaming around the West until deciding to go back to medical school at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, followed by residency in Grand Junction Colorado. My husband quit school to support me during all of this so I told him we could go anywhere he wanted afterwards. Madison Valley Medical Center was advertising for a doctor in a fly fishing magazine and that was how we got to Ennis MT. I’ve been here for 12 years now and count myself so incredibly lucky that MVMC took a chance on me. I’ve learned so much, not only from the people I work with but also from this community.
Currently I’m the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital, the medical director for Madison Valley Ambulance Service and the volunteer medical director for Madison Co Search and Rescue. I also helped found a non-for profit focused on teaching wilderness medicine skills to laypeople to keep them safe in the outdoors and I teach medical students/residents and PA students. I love working in the ER and I love doing home visits. This year I was nominated as the Montana Family Physician of the year which is an incredible honor but really reflects what an amazing team of people I get to work with every day.
My husband is a fishing outfitter in the Valley and my 2 kids attend Ennis Schools. In our spare time we love doing just about anything outdoors from hunting and fishing to skiing in the winter and hiking/biking in the summer. Ennis is pretty much a giant playground for us.
Pokey Armitage:
Richard Thomas Armitage, better known as "Pokey," was born on September 13, 1958, in Dillon, Montana, to Margaret and Jim Armitage. He often laughs when recalling that the infamous Dr. Lossee was the first person to greet him and always reminded him that he was also the first person to slap him on the backside. Pokey is a fourth-generation Armitage from the Madison Valley. His great-grandparents homesteaded what became known as the Armitage Flats south of Cameron. The Armitage family name is deeply rooted in the Ennis community and remains recognized today through landmarks such as the William K. Armitage Gymnasium and Armitage Street.
Growing up in Ennis, Pokey attended Ennis Schools and proudly wore the Mustang colors in both football and basketball. During his junior high years, teachers Mr. McGowen and Mr. Cleverly noticed that he was always the last one out of the locker room after practice. It wasn't long before they began calling him "Pokey," a nickname that would stay with him for life.
He graduated from Ennis High School in 1977. One of the most difficult moments of Pokey's life came during his junior year of high school when his father, Jim, was tragically killed in a car accident. Jim Armitage was a respected contractor throughout the Madison Valley and one of the original stockholders of the Ennis Rodeo Association. Following his death, the Ennis community rallied around Margaret and Pokey. Friends, neighbors, and local families opened their homes and hearts, helping support them through an incredibly challenging time.
Jim's influence on the valley extended beyond construction. He played a significant role in developing the Ennis Rodeo Grounds, helping dismantle the bleachers in West Yellowstone and transport them to Ennis to help create the arena that still stands at the current rodeo grounds today. His dedication to rodeo left a lasting legacy that Pokey would proudly continue.
Rodeo was woven into Pokey's life from the day he was born. Following in his father's footsteps, he began roping and riding calves at a young age before moving on to rough stock events during his high school years. The values of hard work, horsemanship, and community that rodeo instilled in him became guiding principles throughout his life. Like his father, Pokey developed a passion for both building and rodeo.
Equally important to him, however, was his dedication to Ennis Mustang athletics. His love for sports and young people led him into coaching, where he spent 28 years mentoring student-athletes. He coached junior high football and basketball before becoming the head boys basketball coach at Ennis High School in 2001, a position he held for three years. In 2005, he became the head girls basketball coach and continued coaching until his retirement in 2013. Over nearly three decades, Pokey impacted countless students, teaching lessons that extended far beyond wins and losses.
On September 14, 1985, Pokey married the love of his life, Melissa. Together they built a life centered on family, community, and hard work. In 2013, after many years in Ennis, Pokey and Melissa moved to Hamilton, Montana, where they began managing the Skalkaho Creek Ranch. Among Pokey's favorite memories are the many days spent helping local ranchers trail livestock to summer pasture. One memory stands above the rest: trailing bucking stock from Boulder to Ennis for the Fourth of July rodeo. For someone whose life has been so closely connected to ranching and rodeo, experiences like these represent the spirit of the West and the traditions he holds dear.
Pokey's commitment to rodeo leadership matched his participation in the sport. He served as a director on the Ennis Rodeo Association Board before eventually becoming President of the Ennis Rodeo Association. Through his leadership, he helped preserve and strengthen one of the community's most cherished traditions.
Throughout his life, two places have held special significance: the Ennis Rodeo Grounds and Ennis High School. Both shaped the man he became and provided opportunities to serve the community he loves. No matter where life has taken him, Ennis and the Madison Valley have always remained home in his heart.
At the 4th of July parade, Pokey is joined by his wife, Melissa; his daughters, Timbre Pederson and Kimberly Waggener; and five of his twelve grandchildren. His life reflects generations of commitment to family, community, education, ranching, and rodeo. Through his service, leadership, and dedication, Pokey Armitage has continued a family legacy that has helped shape Madison Valley for more than a century.
Thank you to our incredible sponsors for the 90th Annual 4th of July parade!
