The Bozeman Christmas Stroll

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(Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

One of the great things my wife and I discovered after moving to Bozeman were the great traditions that Bozeman had to offer.

Tomorrow is the annual Bozeman Christmas Stroll. Not sure how many years it’s been around but at least the 23 years that I’ve lived here.

I remember our first one and how great it was to see so many people all bundled up packing Main Street curb to curb.

And yes they even had the spider decorations way back then.

I remember thinking how strange it was to buy a button to attend. No one ever checked you for a button. The same with Sweet Pea and other events.

But that too was a tradition that has endured. And many people were adorned with their collection of buttons from previous strolls.

Toddlers on dad’s shoulders various breeds of dogs, teenagers in their clicky high school groups and every kind of cold weather coats and boots you’d ever want to see in one place.

The arrival of Santa was always a welcome sight and all the vendors and non-profits selling their various food items.

Stores so crowed with people it was almost like a slow moving line at Disneyland to find your way back out to the street.

There were also a couple of years when the temps dipped below zero.

Not just a little below zero — sometimes way below zero if you include the wind chill. You haven’t lived until you’ve taken a stroll down Main Street through a horizontal snowstorm.

Live music here and there rounded out a great experience.