Ethan Gerard, a 7-year-old Cub Scout from Billings, gingerly hopped across the wooden panels, trying not to step on the ones that would collapse beneath his weight.

The goal: to spell out the Cub Scout motto of "Do your best" on the boards.

As he hopped from one panel the next, Ethan barely missed the next letter and fell a few inches to the floor.

"I had to spell 'do your best,' but I'm gonna do it again right now," Ethan said before racing to get back in line.

He was participating in the Akela Jones and the Mystery of the Kuhlman Ranch activity — an Indiana Jones-themed course — at the annual Black Otter District Montana Council Scout Show.

The full day of scouting events, held Saturday at MetraPark's Montana Pavilion, is designed as a way for local scouts, from age 6 to 18 years, to get together and show off what they do.

"An event like this brings scouts' families and the community together," said show coordinator Shelli Bütz. "We want to try to get the community involved."

She expected as many as 2,500 people to pass through the doors by the end of Saturday afternoon.

The day featured the Akela Jones course, rope bridges, scuba diving, dozens of booths from local troops and packs on the theme of "Life is a Highway" and the ever-popular Pinewood Derby.

The derby matches homemade wooden race cars against each other, with the scouts and their families competing for the best times and best in show awards.

"The kids' creativity, the adults' creativity, that's the best," said derby chairman Bernie Brault. "The whole thing, especially for the Cub Scouts, they actually get to build them."

The kids were having fun, and their parents were happy to get out and spend some time with their kids.

"I think it's awesome, especially for a father-son day," said Ethan's dad, Gary Gerard. "He's expanding his horizons and learning."