BUTTE — A rainstorm rolled through Butte ahead of the annual An Ri Ra Festival, but organizers and vendors say they are ready to go.
WATCH HERE AN RI RA KICKS OFF IN BUTTE:
Festival volunteers and Butte-Silver Bow workers moved quickly to clear water left by the storm at the Original Mineyard, where the free festival features music, dance, and food throughout the weekend.
Krystal Carlson and her daughter Haddie set up their booth in the food court, prepared to sell 800 Blarney Stones — a treat that has become a Butte staple.
"You know, it's not an Irish food. People from Ireland are like, 'I've never heard of this,' and I'm like, well, it's a Butte thing," Krystal Carlson said.
Haddie Carlson described the treat for those unfamiliar.
"It's like a little cake with frosting, and then it's rolled in peanuts," Haddie Carlson said.
The sweet treats are being sold to support Haddie's dance classes.
Festival Director Brendan McDonough said the grounds were ready despite the earlier downpour.
"We got the grounds cleaned up! Things are set up. We're ready to go for a great weekend," McDonough said.
McDonough said An Ri Ra seems to attract the rain, but the team is experienced at working through it.
"We've had a fair amount of festivals that have had rain events, and we're pretty seasoned at trying to roll with the punches. Unless we get an absolute gully wash, we're gonna stay here," McDonough said.
The team is prepared to make delays and work around scattered showers forecast for the weekend. Music and dance events at the Original Mineyard run from noon to 10 p.m. each day throughout the weekend.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
