The City of Helena is considering moving our beloved parade routes from Last Chance Gulch and the Walking Mall to Cruse Avenue — and we need your help to stop it.

For a hundred years, Last Chance Gulch has been the heart of Helena’s parades and community gatherings. The historic charm of the Gulch and the Walking Mall provides the perfect backdrop for these events, bringing life and energy to our downtown. Moving the route to Cruse Avenue — a wide, less pedestrian-friendly road with minimal access to businesses — would be a loss for both parade-goers and local businesses alike.

Here’s why this matters:
👉 Impact on Local Businesses – Parades on Last Chance Gulch bring foot traffic, visibility, and business to our downtown shops and restaurants. Moving the route to Cruse Ave would mean fewer people visiting local businesses, which could hurt our already fragile downtown economy.

👉 Unfriendly to Parade-Goers – The Walking Mall offers a safe, pedestrian-friendly environment where families and friends can gather comfortably. 

👉 Preserving Tradition – Last Chance Gulch is not just a street — it’s the heart of Helena’s history and community spirit. Moving the parades would mean losing a piece of that tradition.

We believe parades should continue to celebrate Helena’s history where it belongs — in the heart of downtown on Last Chance Gulch. Please sign this petition and let the City of Helena know that we want to keep our parades where they’ve always belonged — in the heart of our community.

Sign now to protect Helena’s parade tradition and support our downtown businesses!