Road closures approved for Crazy Days, chainsaw competition
Griffon Ramsey, an Austin-based artist, works on her mermaid sculpture during the Kootenai Country Montana "Clash of the Carvers" event. The chainsaw carving competition drew sculptors from around the globe.
Will Langhorne/The Western News
Libby City Council approved road closures for annual summer events during its June 21 meeting and, for the first time, considered traffic restrictions for Mineral Avenue’s Halloween celebration.
City councilors unanimously supported the temporary traffic restrictions for Libby Crazy Days and the Kootenai Country Montana International Chainsaw Carving Championship. The former event is planned for Aug. 27-28, with the road closures slated for Aug. 28 only. The latter is scheduled for Sept. 9-12 with traffic restrictions beginning Sept. 8.
Troy Douthit was on hand to speak for the popular carving contest, telling city councilors that the event would go off nearly as it had in 2020 with the exception of expanding to include The Keep, a new shop on Mineral Avenue.
“We approached all of the businesses downtown and asked if we could do anything better,” Douthit said. “One asked if we could be in front of their business, and that was The Keep.”
The plan calls for closing Mineral Avenue from about the intersection of Second Street to First Street as well as the first block of East Second Street and West Second Street. Setup begins 7 a.m., Sept. 8 with carving to start at 8 a.m. the following day. Awards will be presented Sept. 12 with a final auction to follow. By 6 a.m., Sept. 13 the area should be ready for street sweeping.
Douthit also successfully requested an open container exception for the event. All concessions, including alcohol, will be limited to the parking lot of the Libby Veterans of Foreign Wars post.
“It’s a wonderful event and I love being down there,” said Mayor Brent Teske after city council voted on the closures.
A few minutes later, city councilors approved the closure of Mineral Avenue between the Sears store and the Pastime Bar between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Aug. 28 for Libby Crazy Days. The event kicks off on Aug. 27 with sidewalk sales.
Gail Burger, president of the Libby Area Business Association, told city councilors the event would feature 10 food stands and 40 other vendors. Between snatching up deals, attendees can enjoy midway game booths and compete in a sidewalk art contest.
Burger also asked city councilors to close Mineral Avenue on Oct. 31. Each year, businesses welcome trick-or-treaters to the downtown strip, handing out candy to the several hundred children that participate.
But in 2020, an apparent near miss with a vehicle sparked newfound concerns over safety, Burger said.
“Last year, a child was, I believe, almost hit by a car and there have been some other close calls,” she said. “We heard the public outcry that that road needed to be closed for that event.”
She proposed restricting traffic from Timberline Auto Center to Cabinet Mountain Brewing Company from 4 to 6 p.m. with barriers going up at 3:30 p.m. and coming down at 6:30 p.m.
Officials opted to hold off on approval after City Councilor Rob Dufficy expressed concerns about insurance and liability.
“There’s never been insurance,” Burger said. “We’ve never closed the road for it. But there are so many children down there.”
In an email submitted to city council for review, Burger estimated the event had grown from about 360 children in 2019 to more than 450 in 2020.
Ultimately, city council tabled the proposal to allow for an attorney to review the situation.