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Bear Gulch Pictographs
World Class Hunting & Fishing
Central Montana Museum
Central Montana Ram PRO RODEO & Night Show
TRAVIS TRITT :: DARYLE SINGLETARY
Railroad Heritage Park
July 27-29, 2016
Reed and Bowles Historic Trading Post
Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering featuring RIDERS IN THE SKY August 11-14, 2016
Ghost Town Auto Tour
Chokecherry Festival
Missouri River Historic Homestead Auto Tour
Chokecherry Run & Culinary Contest
Historic WWII Satellite Airfield
Montana Bale Trail: What the Hay Contest September 11, 2016
Big Spring Creek State Fish Hatchery (9 Fishing Accesses Nearby)
Lewistown Walking Trails Crystal Lake Crystal Ice Caves Crystal Hiking Trails
September 10, 2016
Wind Farm at Judith Gap Central Montana Shooting Range
Slippery Ann Elk Viewing CMR National Wildlife Refuge
King Colony Hutterite Walking Tours
Multiple Mountain Hiking Trails
Montana Dinner Train Charlie Russell Chew Choo
Lewistown Dragstrip
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Glacier Country
Central Country
Southwest Country Yellowstone Country
11 25 37 53 65 72
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Southeast Country
CONTENTS GL ACIER COUNTRY YELLOWSTONE COUNTRY SOUTHWEST COUNTRY SOUTHEAST COUNTRY CENTRAL COUNTRY MISSOURI RIVER COUNTRY
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 7
ABOUT THIS SECTION Rediscover Montana is a publication of Lee Newspapers of Montana — The Billings Gazette, Missoulian, Montana Standard, Helena Independent Record and Ravalli Republic. rediscovermt.com ©2016
FROM THE GOVERNOR
CONTRIBUTORS Chelsea Davis Vince Devlin Mike Ferguson Brett French Mike Kordenbrock Tom Kuglin Marga Lincoln Paula McGarvey Jaci Webb Loren Benoit
W E L C O M E T O M O N TA N A Growing up in Montana, I never took for granted the spectacular wide open spaces that make our state one of the last truly unspoiled places on Earth. Montana is still a place where you can walk for miles and see more elk, bear, and trout than people. Our world-class rivers, majestic mountains, and rolling plains are where I hunt, fish and hike with my family. We hope your travels will give you the same special memories we have from growing up here. On behalf of the people of Montana, we invite you to join us in exploring the “Last Best Place.” See you soon,
Tom Bauer Thom Bridge Walter Hinick
Gov. Steve Bullock
Larry Mayer Casey Page Hannah Potes James Woodcock Bob Zellar
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INSIDE THIS SECTION
GL ACIER COUNTRY
Going-to-the-Sun loop
Glacier Centennial
Missoula Marathon
Calendar of events Visit Glacier Country for the Zootown Fringe Festival, Huckleberry Days Arts Festival, Garden City River Rod Run, Missoula Celtic Festival and more.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 11
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The weeping wall along Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park offers a cool spray for visitors traveling in open-topped red “jammer” buses.
Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun loop not to be missed might guess that the name comes from the seeming rise to the sun Going-to-the-Sun is the only at Logan Pass, it’s actually a nod to a nearby mountain — named road bisecting Glacier National for a Blackfeet legend about a Park, and it’s an experience not celestial being called Sour Spirit, to be missed. As you’ll soon who would come down from understand, the 48.7-mile road was an engineering marvel when the sky to assist the tribe in dire times and go back to the sun completed in 1932 after 11 years when his mission was accomof construction. plished. It was conceived in 1917, the The miracle we see today is result of a mandate to make parks how the road over 6,646-foot accessible to a newfangled conLogan Pass is kept open. Plowing traption called the automobile. snow that can get as deep as 80 To this day, the road ranks at or feet requires up to 10 weeks of near the top of the most chalwork. lenging road-building projects The grandeur doesn’t end in American history. Though one
JEFF WELSCH AND SHERRY L. MOORE Backroads & Byways of Montana
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when the Going-to-the-Sun Road drops into St. Mary. The stretch through aspen and foothills to East Glacier on the eastern fringes of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation is also spectacular, and US 2 between East Glacier and West Glacier offers peeks at mountaintops while splitting Glacier and the Great Bear Wilderness Area.
precipitous rise to the sun and then making a less-dramatic descent to the aspen, pine, and prairie at St. Mary. The road is so spectacular you might want to leave the driving to someone else. The park offers free shuttles between West Glacier and St. Mary that run every 15 to 30 minutes, with strategically located stops along the way. For an informative guided trip, consider Red Bus Tours (855-733Hitting the road 4522), a concessionaire under the Apgar Village signals the beginning of the Going-to-the-Sun name Glacier Park Inc. that runs half-day and full-day tours in the Road, which hugs the forested shores of 470-foot-deep Lake McDonald before beginning its Please see Loop, 14
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
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Loop Continued from 12 historic, open-topped red “jammer” buses — so named because the buses once had standard transmissions and drivers could be heard “jamming” the gears — starting at $30 per person and capping at $95 in 2015, depending on your choice of tours that originate on both the east and west sides of the park. Different dates are assigned to each tour, but basically the jammers run from June through mid-September, with the exception of the Huckleberry Mountain Tour, which begins in late May or early June and ends in September. These environmentally friendly buses run on 93 percent propane. From Apgar, the road is mostly straight as it rises gently along the lake’s shore to the chalet-style Lake McDonald Lodge and past Avalanche Creek for about 25 miles until you reach The Loop. To fully appreciate the park’s forested lower-elevation areas, stop after the Avalanche Creek Campground and hike the Trail of the Cedars, a boardwalk amid an ancient grove of western red cedars, hemlocks, and yews — Montana’s version of a rain forest. Shortly after Avalanche Creek, the road makes a sharp left turn and begins emerging from the pines, cedars, and firs toward the pass. Every break in the trees offers one breathtaking view after another as the glacier-carved Lake McDonald Valley grows ever deeper. As you continue to elevate, look for many of the glacial landforms that give the park its character. Straight ahead you’ll see the Garden Wall, a vertical rock face called an arête that was created as glaciers on both sides of the Continental Divide scraped away at the mountains. Look also for high-elevation meadows called hanging gardens, the result of little glaciers being unable to keep up with the work of larger glaciers below. Also
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Early in the season, visitors can expect snow along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, so be sure to dress for the weather. prominent are the bowls at the head of glaciers, called cirques. After navigating the road’s lone substantial switchback at The Loop, the road opens to a sweeping view of 492-foot Bird Woman Falls across the valley, eases under the Weeping Wall — where a waterfall lands on the road, its volume dependent upon the season — and Big Bend, perhaps the most popular viewpoint on the west side of Logan Pass. Just past Big Bend is Triple Arches, the best stone-and-mortar example of the massive challenge faced by Depression-era road builders. Crowds notwithstanding, you’ll want to spend a few hours at Logan Pass, the road’s climax. Open mid-June through mid-October, the Logan Pass Visitor Center (406-888-7800)
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is where you’ll learn about the fragile plant and animal life at high elevations before striking out on one of the two hikes that depart from the summit. The 6-mile Hidden Lake Nature Trail on pavement, boardwalk, and then gravel is the park’s most popular hike. Bring a fly rod to fish for Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the lake. Across the road from the visitors center, the Highline Trail cuts across the Garden Wall and isn’t for the weak-kneed — for about 100 yards early in the hike there is a sheer drop off, and you might have to — or get to, depending on your perspective — share the trail with a single-minded mountain goat. Heading down the east side of Logan Pass, you’ll notice a drier
forest with more pine, aspen, and eventually sagebrush. Highlights of the backside include the 408foot East Tunnel through Piegan Mountain and a stop at the Jackson Glacier Overlook, 4 miles below the pass. This is the only place on the road where a glacier is still visible. Snap a photo and then compare the current size of the glacier to visitor center pictures from the 1930s, 1950s, and even 1980s. Look to the north side of the road, and you’ll see its namesake mountain, Goingto-the-Sun, which rises to 9,642 feet. The road down to St. Mary Lake offers a number of worthwhile short hikes, including an easy 3.6-mile round-tripper to St. Mary and Virginia falls, Please see Loop, 16
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
UNDER THE BIG SKY
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SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 15
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Loop
Crowds notwithstanding, you’ll want to spend a few hours at Logan Pass, the top of the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Continued from 14 a short walk to 75-foot Sunrift Gorge, and the 1.2-mile Sun Point Nature Trail to views of the lake. One more stop to make is at the Wild Goose Island Overlook, where a tiny island is a striking contrast in St. Mary Lake against a mountain backdrop. Five miles before St. Mary is Rising Sun (866-875-8456), which offers the first services since Lake McDonald, including boat rides across the lake. Take a look around at the prairie and aspen landscape and ponder just how much it has changed in the 35 miles since the ancient cedars on the west side. St. Mary has a visitor center and a congested conglomeration of restaurants, motels, gas stations and gift shops.
A black bear sow forages along the road into Many Glacier. TOM BAUER/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Turn right on US 89 for the pretty 33-mile drive through aspen and sage foothills toward East Glacier, keeping an eye on the majestic mountains visible on the passenger’s side. Look for Blackfeet ponies high on benches in scenes reminiscent of 150 years ago. At a little out-
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Just under the railroad bridge is the junction of US 2, which begins a quick if not as dramatic ascent to 5,220-foot Marias Pass to the west. The views at the summit — including 8,770-foot Summit Mountain to the north — are enticing. Pull into a large parking area post called Kiowa, turn right on that features a miniature version of the Washington Monument MT 49 for 13 miles of zigging dedicated to J. F. Stevens. He was and zagging through the Two a Great Northern Railway engiMedicine country to East Glaneer who discovered the route cier, which has a few smaller motels, motor inns, eateries and across the Rockies with the help of a Blackfeet scout. Also at the gift shops, an Amtrak station, and the massive Glacier Park Lodge. Please see Loop, 17
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Loop
often called Inn Between because of its location deep in the Continued from 16 mountains between East Glacier and West Glacier, was built as a pass is a tribute to a Slippery Bill possible southern entrance for Morrison, who donated a portion Glacier. The hotel has survived numerous disappointments — of his 160-acre spread to create and nearly perished in a wildfire the only year-round passage in the summer of 2015 — and has through the Rockies between evolved to become a destination Rogers Pass and the Canadian for visitors desiring unusual yeborder. arround lodging. It has become When US 2 descends to the Flathead River and bends north, a twice-daily hotel tradition to wander onto the porch to wave at look for the Walton Goat Lick Overlook on the left side. A short Amtrak passengers. The next 25 miles back to West walk to a new viewing platform Glacier offer some of the wildest reveals a natural salt lick where as many as 50 mountain goats at paved road country in America. Glacier rises above the Flathead a time regularly convene for an energy boost, alongside bighorn River on the north side and the Great Bear Wilderness looms on sheep, deer, and other wildlife. A few miles beyond are the com- the south. munities of Walton and Essex (pop. 223), where the extravagant Reprinted with permission from “Backroads & Byways of Montana: Izaak Walton Inn is worth exploring even if you’re not staying Drives, Day Trips and Weekend Excursions,” 2nd Edition, by Jeff in one of its railroad-oriented Welsch and Sherry L. Moore, The lodging options. The twenty-nine-room hotel, Countryman Press 2016.
It’s Always Happening in Polson! Photos by Steve Pickel
June 24 & 25
Mission Mountain NRA Rodeo 7:30 p.m. with live music Friday night after rodeo. 261-2861 or 253-2010 June 25 Chamber Blast Shooting Competition 883-5969 July 3 Free Concert with Nashville’s Jared Blake for Biker’s Against Bullies @ 4 pm with fireworks at end. andersonbroadcasting.com July 4 July Fourth Parade at Noon. Fireworks show in evening. July 16-17 Live History Days at the Miracle of America Museum. 883-6264 July 16-17 Polson Cherry Festival on Main Street downtown Polson with evening concert at Sacajawea Park. July 22-24 Flathead Lake 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament August 6 Polson Bays Water Daze August 6 Smokin’ on the Water BBQ Cook-off at KwaTaqNuk Resort August 12-14 Summerfest with Live Concert, Car Show, Poker Runs, Sandpiper Art Festival and Brunch Cruise. 883-5255 or andersonbroadcasting.com August 19-20 Flathead Lake Blues Festival plus Flathead Lake Festival of Art at Sacajawea Park. 646-6816 August 20 Polson Triathlon August 25-27 Indian National Finals Tour Rodeo 7 p.m. each night with live music after rodeo. 883-3636 September 10 18th Annual Polson Fly In at Polson Airport.
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SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 17
Glacier National Park ramps up for centennial VINCE DEVLIN Rediscover Montana
WEST GLACIER — If you’re worried about how crowded Glacier National Park has become, here’s one way to look at it that doesn’t make it seem so bad. The people who visited the park last year accounted for less than eight-tenths of 1 percent of the total number who visited the public lands overseen by the National Park Service. Visitation numbers for 2015 totaled more than 307 million people — 307,247,252, to be exact. That’s a record, and almost a 5 percent increase over the previous mark of 292.8 million established in 2014. Glacier hosted 2,366,056 of them, setting its own second straight visitation record, even though wildfires closed one of its two main entrances and shut down a significant chunk of its most popular attraction, Goingto-the-Sun Road, for 2½ weeks. In breaking its record, Glacier once again proved to be one of the top 10 most popular national parks in America. Great Smoky Mountains National Park was, as usual, first, with almost 11 million visitors — twice that of No. 2 Grand Canyon National Park. Glacier was 10th, about 445,000 visitors behind No. 9 Acadia National Park in Maine. Yellowstone, the national park Montana shares with Wyoming and Idaho, welcomed more than 4 million people for the first time ever last year, good for fifth place. A National Park Service audit bumped the previously announced total visitation number up from 305 million to 307 million. With NPS celebrating — and promoting — its 100th birthday in 2016, the record may again be short-lived. In addition to their top-10
TOM BAUER/REDISCOVER MONTANA
The road to Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park greets visitors with stunning views of the valley.
Find out more For more information about visiting Glacier National Park during the National Park Service centennial year in 2016, visit http://www.nps.gov/glac/ planyourvisit/index.htm. ever, and Glacier for welcoming the 100 millionth visitor in the park’s 105-year history. Becky Janssen of Bakersfield, Calif., who was spending the summer in Whitefish with her two children, was chosen out of a line of cars at the West EnTOM BAUER/REDISCOVER MONTANA trance of the park by SuperinGlacier National Park hosted 2,366,056 visitors in 2015, once again proving tendent Jeff Mow on the morning of June 11 to represent visitor to be one of the top 10 most popular national parks in America. No. 100 million. While the park celebrated the moments in 2015 — Yellowstone finishes, Glacier and Yellowfor surpassing the 4 million-atstone were two of five national tendance mark for the first time parks singled out for milestone Please see Glacier, 19
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Glacier
tional Park System last year was the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North CaroContinued from 18 lina, with more than 15 million people. Grand Canyon, No. 2 on the milestone, the number also highlighted the pressures that national parks-only list, drops to No. 10 when visitation at all growing numbers of visitors NPS units are figured in. are placing on Glacier and In addition to Glacier and other national parks. It took 79 Yellowstone’s milestones, years since its establishment in 1910 for Glacier to reach 50 Grand Canyon National Park surpassed 5 million visitors for million visitors, and just 26 the first time, Rocky Mounyears for it to get 50 million tain National Park went over 4 more. million for the first time, and The 307 million visitors is Joshua Tree National Park surfor all the places overseen by the National Park Service, not passed 2 million for the first time. just its 59 national parks. Of the 371 NPS units reportThat includes national monuments, national battlefields, ing visitors in 2015, 57 broke national recreation areas, na- records. Eleven had more than 5 million recreation visits. tional parkways and more. The National Park Service With them, the list of sites also said tent camping in grows to 410—and only two campgrounds rose 13 percent of the top 10 most-visited in 2015, RV camping was up national parks make the top 10 percent and backcountry 10 list for all NPS units. The most-visited place in the Na- overnights were up 7 percent.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The moon begins to set over a waterfall near Logan Pass on Going-to-the-Sun Road.
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SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 19
PUTTING IN THE MILES
July marks 10th running of Montana Marathon
CHELSEA DAVIS Rediscover Montana
The Missoula Marathon and Half-Marathon will mark 10 years in July, and some runners have been there every step of the way. As the marathon’s training class got underway this spring, race director Tony Banovich said there are at least 41 “legacy runners” who have participated in the marathon or half-marathon every year since its inception. It was standing-room-only by the time Banovich, who is also executive director of Run Wild Missoula, welcomed about 170 people to the first training class in March. They ranged from beginners — people just getting into running who started out with a 1-mile run for their half-marathon training — to the legacy runners. Katie Spaid is one of the legacy runners, but she started out in the beginner group. “When I came to this class 10 years ago, I had never done any organized running,” she said. “I ... just wanted to see if I could do it. I played sports, but I had never done an organized run, never gone out on a 5-mile run, anything like that.” Missoula’s running scene has exploded since 2006. Just 30 people showed up to that first training class. Now, it’s bursting with about 200 runners every year. That doesn’t take into account the other running groups in town. And in 2010, the race was named the best overall marathon by Runner’s World magazine. “It’s amazing what the running community has evolved into in the last 10 years,” Spaid said. “It’s because of several
LOREN BENOIT/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Runners hold hands as they cross the finish line at the Missoula Marathon and Half-Marathon in July 2015. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the race.
Run the marathon Registration for the Missoula Marathon, Half-Marathon, 5K and Kids Marathon is open and available at missoulamarathon.org. The 5K is July 9; the half-marathon and marathon are July 10. things. One, I think, the marathon. But then I think just (Runner’s Edge owner Anders Brooker) and what he’s done for the community with the store and the partnership with Run Wild Missoula.
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“I think that’s part of what’s made it grow. There’s no separation; everybody in the running community comes together and works together.” Spaid’s goal that first year was simply to finish, and really, that goal hasn’t changed. Training for a marathon is a huge time commitment, especially as the mileage ramps up over the coming weeks. “I’ve found that your body can do it, but a lot of it is the mental game and the time commitment,” she said. Spaid fits in training around her full-time job as state director for the Consumer Direct
Care Network. While running is obviously good for your health, its benefits trickle into every aspect of your life, Spaid said. “Being in good shape and feeling fit does so much for other parts of your life,” she said. “You think clearer, you’re in a better mood. For me, everything is better when I’m doing this class.” In addition to the marathon and half-marathon, race events July 8-10 include the Missoula 5K, the Kids Marathon a “beer run” and other activities. Find out more information at missoulamarathon.com.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
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SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 21
GLACIER COUNTRY CALENDAR OF EVENTS BIGFORK
POLSON
Festival of the Arts Aug. 6-7 More than 160 arts and crafts booths, food, entertainment and children’s activities. 837-5888 or bigforkfestivalofthearts.com. Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival Aug. 28-Sept. 3 The event at Flathead Lake Lodge offers a rare opportunity to study with renowned guitar artists and see them perform. cocguitarfoundation.org.
Main Street Cherry Festival July 16-17 Celebrate the Flathead cherry with a foods, displays of Montana-made items, games, entertainment and sidewalk sales. 883-3667 or flatheadcherryfestival.com. Flathead Lake Blues Festival Aug. 20-21 Held on the shores of Flathead Lake at Sacajawea Park, the annual festival offers an impressive lineup of blues artists. Festival goers can also take in the Flathead Lake Festival of Art in neighboring Sacajawea Park. flatheadlakebluesfestival.com.
DARBY
Strawberry Festival July 16 An old-fashioned ice cream social with music by local musicians, vendors and raffles. 381-5114.
HAMILTON
TOM BAUER/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Cyclists compete in the final heat of The Eliminator in Caras Park. The Eliminator, set for June 16, is part of a weekend of Missoula XC races.
Daly Days July 22 Street vendors, crafts, food, a street dance and other activities celebrating Marcus Daly are held downtown at the Daly Mansion. 360-9124 or bitterrootchamber. com. Riverfest in the ‘Root Aug. 13 The Bitter Root Water Forum’s annual free event at Kiwanis River Park offers art vendors, facepainting, a fly-casting clinic and live animal show and music. 375-2272 or brwaterforum.org.
KALISPELL
Arts in the Park July 15-17 The Flathead Valley’s premiere arts, crafts, and music festival held in downtown Depot Park features over 100 local and visiting artists and craftsmen, food and specialty booths, live music and entertainment. 755-5268.
KURT WILSON/REDISCOVER MONTANA
The National Bison Range near Moiese is one of the oldest wildlife refuges in the nation.
or missouladowntown.com. Missoula Marathon July 8-10 A weekend celebration had evolved around the Sunday marMISSOULA athon and attracts runners from Garden City River Rod Run across the U.S. Visit missoulamarJune 24-25 athon.org. Two days of classic cars, a International Choral Festival cruise, food, music and fun downJuly 13-16 town and at Caras Park. 543-4238 Choirs from 10 countries and
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four continents are scheduled to participate, including groups from Poland, Hong Kong and Costa Rica. Performances take place at several venues. Visit choralfestival.org Missoula Celtic Festival July 29-30 Annual celebration of great Celtic culture, focusing on music, dance and food in Caras Park with free admission. celticfestivalmissoula.com Zootown Fringe Festival Aug. 16-21 More than 40 edgy performances of all varieties will be spread out in downtown Missoula’s fourth iteration of the alternative fringe festival phenomenon. (406) 544-4606 or zootownfringe.org River City Roots Festival Aug. 26-27 The city’s signature celebration attracts more than 10,000 individuals to the heart of the community for live performances, a juried art show, entertainment for children and families and a 4-mile run. 543-4238 or rivercityrootsfestival.com.
OVANDO
Fourth of July Celebration Called “the Biggest Taste of Old Time Americana by the Smallest Old Town,” Ovando’s annual patriotic party offers a parade, speeches and lunch served by the volunteer fire department. ovandomontana.net.
ST. REGIS
Memorial Day Flea Market May 28-30 Montana’s largest outdoor flea market features more than 170 vendors selling a variety of wares. 649-1304 or stregismtflea.org.
STEVENSVILLE
Creamery Picnic Aug. 5-6 The 104th celebration features a parade, state barbecue contest, music, crafters and more. 777-3773 or creamerypicnic.com.
WHITEFISH
Huckleberry Days Arts Festival Aug. 12-14 Featuring 100 artists and food vendors, local live entertainment, a mobile climbing wall and a huckleberry dessert bake-off contest held in and around Depot Park. 862-3501 or whitefishchamber. org.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
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ANTIQUITIES Leisure & Luxury in the Age of Nero
The Villas of Oplontis Near Pompeii June 18 – December 31, 2016 In 79 AD, Vesuvius’ catastrophic eruption destroyed the seaside villas of some of Rome’s wealthiest citizens on the Bay of Naples. Now all that remain are the artifacts of leisure and luxury of the Villas of Oplontis near Pompeii. Join us at MOR, one of only three U.S. museums to host this stirring exhibit of artifacts that have never left Italy before. This exhibition is organized and circulated by The University of Michigan Kelsey Museum of Archeology in cooperation with the Ministero dei Beni e delle Attivitá Culturali e del Turismo and the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Pompei, Ercolano e Stabia.
Marble Aphrodite statuette
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INSIDE THIS SECTION
YELLOWSTONE COUNTRY
Gallatin Canyon
Tippet Rise Art Center
Museum of the Rockies
Calendar of events Visit Yellowstone Country for the Sweet Pea Festival, Great Montana Sheep Drive (Running of the Sheep), Headwaters Country Jam, Smoking Waters Mountain Man Rendezvous and more.
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Museum of the Rockies only Western museum to host centuries-old Italian artifacts MIKE FERGUSON Rediscover Montana
BOZEMAN — June 18 will be the first day that Museum of the Rockies visitors can take in an exhibit they’ve never seen before — and probably will never see again. “Leisure and Luxury in the Age of Nero: The Villas of Oplontis near Pompeii” will illustrate not only the wealth that people loved to show off during the years before Vesuvius did them all in and buried their communities on Aug. 24, 79 AD, but the lives of the slaves who worked to make their opulent masters’ quarters memorable. The exhibit will remain on display through Dec. 31. “This scale of luxury is hard to imagine. This is how the ‘one percent’ lived,” said Regina Gee, an associate professor of ancient art at Montana State University and adjunct curator of art history at the museum. Gee has been working with two other researchers on organizing the artifacts originally found in the Italian villas and is an expert on the frescoes found there. A few years ago, she and her colleagues obtained permission from Italian authorities to organize an exhibit of artifacts from the site to travel to the United States — artifacts that had never left Italy. Gee said the nearly 150 pieces are currently on display at the University of Michigan. They’ll be headed to Smith College in Northampton, Mass., after their six-month stay at the Museum of the Rockies. The Museum of the Rockies exhibition will thus be the only opportunity for people west of the Mississippi River to see the artifacts. Those artifacts include marble statues, jewelry, elaborate boxes in which to carry valuables — even an ancient pair of dice. “There’s nothing that can compare with them,” Gee said. “I still can’t believe we got permission.” Gee said the exhibit also shows “the human side of the tragedy.” When the volcano erupted, about 50 people hid in a concrete vaulted storage room, awaiting rescue by boat. It is from those people that exhibitors found gold jewelry and coins “in an exquisite money box,” Gee said, “that people carried with them as they tried to leave. That’s part of the story we get to show people.” A structure adjacent to the villas is evidence of nearby wine-making. Gee said the ash from the volcano transformed the Pompeii region into a top wine and tomato producer. Gee’s student, Carol Mealer, predicts in Montana Historian magazine that the exhibition “will dazzle museum-goers of all ages.” Please see Museum, 27 The Museum of the Rockies will host artifacts originally found in the Italian villas of Oplontis near Pompeii. “Leisure and Luxury in the Age of Nero: The Villas of Oplontis near Pompeii” opens on June 18. MUSEUM OF THE ROCKIES
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About the exhibit The Museum of the Rockies will host artifacts originally found in the Italian villas of Oplontis near Pompeii. “Leisure and Luxury in the Age of Nero: The Villas of Oplontis near Pompeii” opens on June 18. Summer hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day at the museum are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Adult admission, $14.50; senior citizens, $13.50; children, 5-17, $9.50. For more information, go to museumoftherockies.org.
Museum Continued from 26 She points to the artifacts from three social strata that will be on display — the very wealthy, the daily activities of household slaves, “and the economic enterprise run by freemen who enabled and sustained the physical and social fabric of elite villa life.” Quoting Gee, Mealer wrote, “Vesuvius had to bury the region in order to preserve the region.” The villa is believed to have belonged to the second wife of Emperor Nero, Poppaea. A prominent amenity contained in the villa, constructed on a cliff 40 feet above the sunny Bay of Naples, was a huge swimming pool surrounded by marble sculptures. “For whatever reason,” the Museum of the Rockies states on its website, “the villa itself had been abandoned by the time of
MUSEUM OF THE ROCKIES
The Museum of the Rockies will host artifacts originally found in the Italian villas of Oplontis near Pompeii. “Leisure and Luxury in the Age of Nero: The Villas of Oplontis near Pompeii” will be up through Dec. 31. Vesuvius’ catastrophic eruption in 79 AD, but a commercial wine distribution center next door was thriving. Falling ash and pyroclastic (fast-moving hot gas and rock) flows buried empty dining rooms that had seated more than 100 people, an 80-meter swimming pool, private rooms adorned with spectacular frescoes and marble columns resting on mosaic floors ready for re-sale.” “There have been a lot of great shows about Pompeii, but (the artifacts) are usually cherry-picked items from different villas,” Gee said. “They call it ‘Daily Life in Pompeii’ or something like that. This is something much more specific, and I’m so looking forward to it.”
406.446.1111 | rockcreekresort.com
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Sanctuary for art, music debuts this summer JACI WEBB Rediscover Montana
FISHTAIL — The Tippet Rise Art Center opens to the public in June with a weekly concert series curated by musical director Christopher O’Riley, National Public Radio host and internationally acclaimed pianist. But it’s not just music that will be the attraction in Stillwater County this summer. The idea behind Tippet Rise is to “make art happen in beautiful places.” The art begins as soon as you enter the property with the unusual look of a curved fence. Tippet Rise Director Alban Bassuet has been working with owners Cathy and Peter Halstead for five years to turn 11,500 acres in Stillwater County into the Tippet Rise Art Center. Bassuet expects people to come from around the world to see this new “land art” space that pairs stunning landscape with equally magnificent art. The landscape features a sculpture by Mark di Suvero called “Beethoven’s Quartet” intended to be played like a twirling steel drum. “Mark tries to get to things that are beyond language,” Bassuet said. The couple owns enough land to keep true to that goal. “Beethoven’s Quartet” is miles from the nearest structure, sitting in the rolling hills above Murphy Canyon. Yet, it doesn’t feel jarring to come upon this huge steel work in rural Montana, where it is framed by nothing but sky. “Our motivation is to have sculpture that interacts with nature,” Bassuet said. “We see the curation of sculpture as important as the curation of music here.” Another di Suvero piece, “Proverb,” was previously on display in Dallas, where it was nicknamed “The Keys to Dallas.” Now, it’s sitting in the bottom of Box Canyon where sheep and cattle graze in the summertime. The di Suvero works are part of a halfdozen land-specific sculptures at Tippet Rise. A guide is required to get visitors from one sculpture site to the next. One of the most unusual landscape pieces is “Daydreams,” a site-specific work by internationally known environmental artist Patrick Dougherty. Before Dougherty arrived to twist local willows and sticks into curious shapes, Bassuet and the Halsteads hired JXM & Associations and CTA Architects to design
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LARRY MAYER/GAZETTE STAFF
A Patrick Dougherty sculpture titled “Daydreams” has willows wrapped throughout a rustic schoolhouse at the Tippet Rise Art Center in the Beartooth foothills near Fishtail. Design work on the house was done by CTA with construction by JXM & Associates. Every detail is exact from the shingles blowing off the roof to expose the beams and the nails pushed up from wind and weather. If it weren’t for the new concrete foundation, you would guess that the school has been there for 100 years. The willows and sticks drape the exterior and weave through the interior of the building. Somebody commented that the work looks like something from a Tim Burton movie. Others refer to it as the house from the “Wizard of Oz.” Bassuet explained that when Dougherty arrived on the property with his son and an assistant, he leaned on the inside wall of the school house and thought back to his days as a youngster day dreaming in school. The willows take on an almost-human appearance, leaning into the old chalkboard with gaping holes that resemble eyes. The site is styled after a handful of places around the world that feature land art. They aim for a connection between the natural landscape and art. The Halsteads said they WILLEM BONING/COURTESY ALBAN BASSUET were most inspired by the Storm King Art Tiara, a band shell, is part of the 11,000-acre Center in New Windsor, N.Y., which exhibTippet Rise arts area. its an extensive collection of international artists. “We wanted to combine our ideas with the and build a school in the style of a one-room prairie school house from the 1800s that sits beauty of a specific place,” Cathy Halstead said. just down the road from Tippet Rise.
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TIPPET RISE CALENDAR Tippet Rise Performance Art Cen- Friday, June 24, 6:30 p.m., Jenny Chen, piano. ter’s summer season will be highlighted by a piano series, a world Saturday, June 25, 2 p.m., Ensamble Studio Commission premiere of a Tippet-Rise-commisCelebratory Concert at the site sioned vocal work, and cellist Matt of Domo, featuring Emily HelenHaimovitz performing with pianist brook, soprano, and Christopher Christopher O’Riley. O’Riley, piano. The suite of seven The season runs June 17 through songs and piano solos include Aug. 21, and performances are open the world premiere of “Tippet to the public. Rise Songs,” a cycle by Antón García-Abril based on poetry by Friday, June 17, at 6:30 p.m., Peter Halstead. Nikolai Demidenko, piano, performing a two-part recital that Saturday, June 25, 6:30 p.m., includes waltzes and mazurkas Alessandro Deljavan, piano. by Chopin and the “Ballade No. Friday, July 1, at 6:30 p.m. Yevg1” and B minor Sonata of Liszt. eny Sudbin, piano. Saturday, June 18, 2 p.m., Ste Saturday, July 2, 2 p.m., Matt phen Talasnik Celebratory ConHaimovitz, cello, performing the cert, featuring the Ariel String complete Bach Suites for Solo Quartet performing music by Cello with commissioned overAaron Jay Kernis and John Adtures to each suite. ams. Friday, July 8, at 6:30 p.m., George Li, piano. Saturday, June 18, at 6:30 p.m., Ariel String Quartet with Nikolai Saturday, July 9, at 2 p.m., PatDemidenko to perform Brahms, rick Dougherty Celebratory ConC Minor Piano Quartet. cert, featuring Eunice Kim, vio-
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lin; John-Henry Crawford, cello; Christopher O’Riley, piano Saturday, July 9, 6:30 p.m., All-Scriabin concert at the site of Domo to include performance by Christopher O’Riley, Svetlana Smolina (piano) and Elmer Churampi (trumpet) and Yevgeny Sudbin (piano) Friday, July 15, 6:30 p.m., Matt Haimovitz, cello and Christopher O’Riley, piano performing Cello and Piano Sonatas of Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff. Saturday, July 16, 2 p.m., Mark di Suvero Celebratory Concert featuring Dover String Quartet and Matt Haimovitz, cello. Saturday, July 16, 6:30 p.m., All-Messiaen concert at Domo featuring Svetlana Smolina and Christopher O’Riley, pianos; Caroline Goulding, violin; Matt Haimovitz, cello; and John Bruce Yeh, clarinet. Friday, July 22, at 6:30 p.m., Konstantin Lifschitz, piano,
performing Bach, Goldberg Variations. Saturday, July 23, at 2 p.m., John Luther Adams, “Inuksuit,” ensemble to include the Excelsis Percussion Quartet and percussionists from the Billings Symphony and others, with Douglas Perkins, coordinator. Saturday, July 23, at 6:30 p.m., Stephen Hough, piano. Saturday, August 20, at 2 p.m., Anne-Marie McDermott and Christopher O’Riley performing two-piano recital to include works by Philip Glass, David Lang, Paul Lansky and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Sunday, Aug. 21, at 6:30 p.m., Lucas Debargue, piano Tickets for all concerts are $10 for adults, and free for anyone 18 or younger. For additional information and tickets, visit www.tippetrise.org. All ticket revenue is dedicated to the Art Center’s education programs.
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BREATHTAKING BEAUTY
Plenty to see on drive up Gallatin Canyon
picked up, especially in the early morning and late afternoon. U.S. 191 leaves I-90 at Bozeman, but you can also continue Some of the most beautiful imto the Belgrade exit eight miles to ages from “A River Runs Through the northwest and take Jackrabbit It” were filmed in this picturesque Road south to Four Corners. canyon. For about 65 miles, twistContinue south toward the ing U.S. 191 separates the Gallatin mountains and the mouth of the and Madison ranges, hugging the Gallatin Canyon. Gallatin River from the mouth of The most striking feature bethe canyon just south of Bozeman fore the canyon is the Gallatin to within a few miles of the river’s Gateway Inn, an extravagant genesis in Yellowstone National 42,000-square-foot SpanPark. ish-style building constructed in The highlight is clearly the 1927 as a terminus for the Chiscenery, with realistic chances cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railof seeing bear, moose, elk, deer way spur that brought Yellowand bison. In fact, from March to stone visitors to the area. The inn May, when bison are migrating ASSOCIATED PRESS has had lodging and dining, even from the park to greener pastures recently, but as of late 2015 neiwest of U.S. 191, it’s imperative to The South Fork of the Madison River near West Yellowstone is just one of ther was offered, and the building keep a close eye out for the shaggy many fishing opportunities available on the scenic drive between Gallatin was for sale. beasts — especially at night. Most Gateway and West Yellowstone. A few miles later, you’ll enter of the drive features steep canyon A note of caution: The Gallatin S-turns in the canyon. The traffic the canyon, and the Gallatin imslopes blanketed in Douglas fir eased some in the down economy, mediately changes from a braided, Canyon is also one of Montana’s and lodgepole pine, but midway when fewer construction workers meandering cottonwood-lined you’ll reach the congestion of Big most dangerous drives, a soberwere making the twice-daily pil- stream to a swift emerald river ing reality marked by the steady Sky (pop. 2,308), a destination with solid whitewater stretches. grimages to build trophy homes parade of white crosses flanking resort that sprang from a mounfor the rich in Big Sky and the ul- Just past Spanish Creek, look uptain meadow almost overnight in the road. Many locals headed tra-rich at the Yellowstone Club. stream to Storm Castle, a jutting the mid-1970s. Along the way are to West Yellowstone opt for the But a building boom was underperiodic guest ranches and steak- broad Madison Valley just to the way again in 2015 and traffic has west instead of negotiating the houses, all adding to the vibe. Please see Beauty, 31
JEFF WELSCH AND SHERRY L. MOORE Backroads & Byways of Montana
July 15th & 16th 2016 three forks rodeo grounds
Three Forks, Montana NRA Rodeo • 7 pm Parade Saturday 11 am • Street Fair Downtown Street Dance Nightly Fireman’s Breakfast Classic Car Show
tickets and info: threeforksrodeo.com 406-539-4488 | info@threeforksrodeo.com
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Beauty
envisioning a golf resort. When he saw Lone Mountain rising on the western skyline, the vision Continued from 30 abruptly changed to deep powder and chairlifts. Big Sky still has rock formation. Farther along on plenty for golfers, most notably the left is a fast-paced straight the courses designed by former stretch of river known as “The professional stars Arnold Palmer Mad Mile,” a favorite of rafters and Tom Weiskopf, a Bozeman and kayakers when water levels are accommodating in the spring resident. South of Big Sky, the terrain and early summer. The highlight gets wilder and less populated. is a giant boulder midstream called House Rock. A wide pullout Aside from an occasional restaurant (The Corral is a great beer allows drivers to watch rafts and and burger stop) and a few hiskayaks navigate the frothy run. Thirty-six miles south of Gall- toric guest ranches (the Cinnaatin Gateway is the only stoplight mon Lodge has an above-average restaurant, bar, and nice cabins between Four Corners and West Yellowstone: The junction of MT on the Gallatin River), there aren’t as many people on this stretch, 64. Two miles up that road is the though you’ll have company in town of Big Sky, and a few miles the form of fly fishermen casting past that are Big Sky Ski Resort to rainbow and cutthroat trout. and Lone Mountain Ranch, both After Sage Creek, Taylor Fork, and popular ski destinations. This the rustic all-inclusive Elkhorn area was a picturesque ranch Ranch, the road enters Yellowwhen the late NBC newscaster stone National Park, where the Chet Huntley, a Montana naspeed limit drops to 55 mph for 25 tive, rode in with friends on miles; there is no park fee to drive horseback in the early 1970s,
this stretch. Several trailheads are along U.S. 191 here, including the popular Bighorn and Fawn Pass trails, which join to form a loop in the mountains to the east. If you do hike, bring bear spray, make noise, and, if possible, travel in groups of four or more. Eventually U.S. 191 leaves the park, crests a hill, and brings into view the broad Madison Valley, carpeted by lodgepole pine. In the winter and spring, chances are good you’ll see a bison ambling alongside the road. They are allowed to remain outside the park until mid-May, when Montana’s Department of Livestock chases them back. Long, pine-lined straightaways subsequently lead into the town of West Yellowstone. Reprinted with permission from “Backroads & Byways of Montana: Drives, Day Trips and Weekend Excursions,” 2nd Edition, by Jeff Welsch and Sherry L. Moore, The Countryman Press 2016.
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msubsports.com
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 31
Centennial-ready Remodeled visitor center provides education on wildlife the remodeled center is emphasizing. It’s a message visitors In a place where he used to ha- would be wise to heed, considering the number of tourists who’ve rass tourists, their vehicles and even a park ranger with his antlers had run-ins with park wildlife in during the fall rut, bull elk No. 6’s the past couple seasons. The Albright Visitor Center is memory lives on in a new exhibit at the remodeled Albright Visitor housed in the old bachelor offiCenter at Mammoth Hot Springs cers’ quarters built in 1909 for the inside Yellowstone National Park. Army when it was stationed in the park to halt poaching. The three“It’s only No. 6’s antlers, so we’re trying to have him represent story stone structure, which also has a full basement, was comthe species rather than him as an pletely gutted “down to the stone individual,” said Tami Blackford, deputy chief of interpretive plan- walls” by Swank Enterprises’ construction crews, Blackford ning and media development at said. Yellowstone National Park. “We The $8.1 million project incall it a safety exhibit so people can stand next to him and see how cluded reinforcing the stone walls with metal framing to mitigate big he is.” possible earthquake damage while Safety around Yellowstone’s also strengthening the building. wildlife is just one of the themes
BRETT FRENCH Rediscover Montana
Ennis High School Rodeo May 7th • 10am May 8th • 9am
Ennis NRA Rodeo July 3rd 8pm
July 4th Celebrations: am July 4th Parade starts at 10 is Enn wn nto Dow n: Locatio
Ennis NRA Rodeo July 4th 6pm Location: Ennis Rodeo Gro unds Ennis, Montana
Fireworks following the Rodeo in Virginia City starts at Dusk.
Contact Information: Chief Croy 406.570.6407
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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
The Albright Visitor Center at Mammoth inside Yellowstone National Park has been completely remodeled at a cost of $8.1 million with another $2.35 million donated to renovate exhibits in the facility. The building was last renovated in 1978. “One of the bigger changes is that now visitors have to come inside and go downstairs to get to the bathroom,” Blackford said. “And now the building is wheelchair-accessible from the front, you used to have to come in through the back.” The redesign preserved some of the historic fixtures like windows, doors and fireplaces, but now provides more natural light to the interior with new office space on the third floor. A Northern Range landscape diorama has been set up in what was the old theater to help visitors understand where they might be able to see certain wildlife. There are elk, bear and bison safety exhibits where visitors can get an idea of how large the animals are, while learning about where they can be viewed in the park, how fast they can run and advice on staying as far as possible away from them. The $2.35 million in exhibit work was funded by the Yellowstone Association, which now has a separate area for its bookstore within the visitor center. The new facility seems a fitting place to house old No. 6’s antlers. Every fall the bull would alternately delight and terrify
GAZETTE STAFF
A bull elk known as No. 6, shown in 2004, had his antlers sawed off twice by Yellowstone Park officials after harassing tourists, cars and a park ranger. camera-toting tourists in Mammoth with his bugling and macho displays meant to attract cow elk for breeding while scaring off competing bulls. His aggressive behavior twice got him in trouble with park officials, who in 2004 and 2005 had his antlers sawed off in attempts to lessen his belligerence. “He’s an impressive bull, he’s pretty cool,” said Richard Bradberry, a taxidermist and owner of Wildlife Artistry in Livingston, who mounted No. 6’s antlers onto a form and sewed up a donated hide to create the new bull elk exhibit. The bull’s original hide was not usable. “It’s cool that he will be seen by so many people,” Bradberry said.
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Though they look tame, bison don’t want to be in your selfie A bicyclist meets a bison in the road in Yellowstone National Park. It is illegal for park visitors to get within 100 yards of bears and wolves or 25 yards of other wildlife, including bison.
BRETT FRENCH Rediscover Montana
Cellphones may be responsible for an increase in the number of bison-related injuries to Yellowstone National Park visitors last year. That’s a theory raised by Cara Cherry in a recently published report. Cherry is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigator assigned to the National Park Service. With the short focal length of cellphones, and the increase in the social activity of posting photos while traveling, people may be ignoring park warnings about keeping their distance from bison, Cherry writes. Last year in Yellowstone National Park five people were injured by bison, yet three of those five were seriously hurt. Two of those three seriously harmed people had been taking photos and moved to within 3 to 6 feet of the bison. It is illegal for park visitors to get within 100 yards of bears and wolves or 25 yards of other wildlife, including bison. An adult male bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and can run at speeds up to 35 mph. Last year, more than 4 million people visited
CASEY PAGE/GAZETTE STAFF
Yellowstone, a record high. At that time, the park contained a bison population of about 4,800 animals, down only slightly from a record high in 2014. More bison and more people in the same place are bound to occasionally run into each other. After last year’s incidents, and with more visitors expected this year as the National Park Service celebrates its 100th anniversary, Yellowstone has changed some of its messaging to try and get visitors’ attention, said Amy Bartlett, park spokeswoman. “People just need to stay away the required distance,” she said. “We’re trying to be more
blunt about it.” In 10 of 36 incidents identified in one period in a 2003 study, the people injured approached to within 2 to 51 feet of bison to photograph or pose with the animals for a photo. Some of the stranger incidents reported in the 2003 study were a woman inside a phone booth when a bison butted the structure, two people petting or feeding a bison when it charged and one photographer who was trampled while lying on the ground. The attack ended with the bison sitting on the man. Another man was thrown 15 feet into the air, did a flip and landed in a tree.
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YELLOWSTONE COUNTRY CALENDAR BOZEMAN
Sweet Pea Festival Aug. 2-7 Celebrate the arts in Bozeman at the 38th annual Sweet Pea Festival. The festival kicks off with Chalk on the Walk, an all-day event where people are encouraged to chalk up the sidewalks. The fun continues on Aug. 3 with Bites of Bozeman, an evening event from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The festival starts back up at 4 p.m., Aug. 5, in Lindley Park. The weekend continues with a children’s run and parade to the park. 406-586-4003 or sweetpeafestival.org. Heart of the West Contemporary Art Show and Auction Aug. 11-13 More than 60 juried artists and galleries exhibit their work at The Best Western GranTree Inn, 1325 N. Seventh Ave. 406-781-0550 or heartofthewestart.com.
LIVINGSTON
Livingston Roundup Rodeo July 2-4 The Livingston Roundup Rodeo has been a popular annual PRCA event in the heart of Montana cattle country since 1924. Ranked as the 10th highest purse in the nation over the Independence Day holiday, the rodeo draws more than 10,000 spectators every year to its open-air arena near the Yellowstone River. A parade downtown at 3 p.m. July 2 kicks off events, which include nightly rodeos at 8 p.m. Livingston-chamber.com or livingstonroundup.com. Park County Days Aug. 14-21 The weeklong event will celebrate the National Park Service Centennial. With themed activities like Ranch Heritage and Farm Day, Museum and Cultural Heritage Day, Art Walk to Yellowstone Day, Food Fun and Suds in the Park and more, the whole week is chock-full of fun. For more information visit livingston-chamber. com. The Shane Lalani Spotlight Gala
Aug. 27-28 An annual fundraiser event known for its great music, food and drinks. Come see the Shane Lalani Center for the Arts like you’ve never seen it before. A fun weekend with a focus on supporting the arts. For more information visit theshanecenter.org. Summerfest July 16-17 The annual summer festival is held the third weekend in July in Livingston’s beautiful Miles Park. In its 17th year, the weekend gala includes kids’ activities, beer garden, live music, art and craft vendors and a wide assortment of food. livingstonmusicfest.wix. com/livsummerfest
RED LODGE
Red Lodge Music Festival June 4-12 The Red Lodge Music Festival is the oldest and most successful music festival in Montana, serving more than 200 students annually and presenting live performances by 30 professional musicians. Throughout the week, admission to student concerts is free, and a nominal charge admits audience members to faculty concerts. Rlmf.org. Home of Champions Rodeo and Parade July 2-4 The Home of Champions Rodeo is part of the PRCA circuit, bringing nearly all national champions to Red Lodge every year. Cowboys compete, and clowns and bullfighters entertain the crowd. Beginning each day at noon is a parade for all ages. Rodeo begins at 6 p.m. July 2-3 and 3 p.m. July 4. This year the Home of Champions Rodeo and Parade is pleased to announce the appearance of Gizmo McCraken and bullfighter Al Sandvold. 406-446-2422 or redlodgerodeo.com. Art in the Beartooths July 9 The 43rd Annual Art in the Beartooths is from 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. and takes place at Carbon County Depot Gallery.
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An annual fundraiser, the day is full of fun and art. For more details visit carboncountydepotgallery.org. Festival of Nations July 12-13 For more than 50 years, the Red Lodge Festival of Nations has honored the burg’s roots as a coal mining town and the diverse ethnic groups who worked and settled the area. Weekend activities include ethnic food, exhibits, daytime and evening entertainment, and activities for the whole family. Redlodge.com or facebook.com/ FestivalOfNations. Beartooth Rally July 15-17 An annual rally and weekend full of rides, food, dancing and more. For more information call 406-446-2022 or visit bonedaddyscustomcycle.com. Labor Day Arts Fair Sept. 5 This annual art event features more than 80 artists’ booths displaying and selling bead work, pottery, paintings, sculptures, photography and more. Free, live entertainment throughout the day includes fiddlers, belly dancers, folk musicians, food booths, a concession stand and much more. Festivities begin at 9 a.m. Admission is free. Redlodge.com. Red Lodge Songwriter Festival June 23-25 This year marks the first Songwriter Festival. An event celebrating country songwriters, this three-day festival features songwriters from Nashville, Tenn., Montana and Wyoming. For more details visit redlodgesongwriterfest.com.
REED POINT
Great Montana Sheep Drive (Running of the Sheep) Sept. 6 Hundreds of sheep take to the main street of Reed Point during this Labor Day weekend staple. Events begin at 10 a.m. and include a street fair, parade and street dance. 406-326-2315
THREE FORKS
Headwaters Country Jam June 16-18 Now in its ninth year, the jam has expanded from a country music concert to include many other events, such as the Redneck Olympics and Redneck Beauty Pageant. Headliners include Lee Brice, Tyler Farr, Joe Nichols, Chase Bryant, Darryl Worley, Mark Chesnutt, Hawthorne Roots and more. Headwaterscountryjam.com. Rockin’ the Rivers Aug. 12-14 Montana’s premiere three-day rock festival has more than 1,200 camping spots with an arena that creates a natural amphitheater. This year’s lineup includes Vince Neil, Buckcherry, Loverboy, Firehouse, Steelheart, Royal Bliss, Heart by Heart, Hell’s Belles and more. Aug. 11 kick-off pre-party starts the weekend rocking. Rockintherivers.com.
WEST YELLOWSTONE
Celebrating America July 4 The Hebgen Basin Volunteer Fire Department hosts its Burger Bash barbecue fundraiser at the Chamber parking lot/ Dunbar Park. Live music, a parade at 6 p.m., and fireworks at 10 p.m. are also part of the celebration in one of the nation’s most beautiful and treasured regions. Destinationyellowstone. com. Smoking Waters Mountain Man Rendezvous Aug. 5-14 Step into the experience of 1800s life. The encampment, complete with Trader’s Row, fires the imagination of what life in that era was like. Entertainment, demonstrations and seminars on a variety of “life-as-it-was” skills give a deeper appreciation of challenges and dangers that were faced and overcome. Tomahawk and knife demonstrations, black-powder shoots, mountain-man storytelling and musicians are all a part of the annual event. Admission is free. Twoturtlestradingpost.com.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
en We ri Op tra st l 1 e nc 7t ns e h, 20 15
ap
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 35
PRODUCED BY MAINSTREET UPTOWN BUTTE WITH MAJOR SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH BUTTE-SILVER BOW COUNTY, THE DENNIS AND PHYLLIS WASHINGTON FOUNDATION, MONTANA RESOURCES, ATLANTIC RICHFIELD CO., AND THE MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM.
36 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
INSIDE THIS SECTION
SOUTHWEST COUNTRY
Montana Folk Festival
Evel Days
Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival
Calendar of events Visit Southwest Country for the Butte Freedom Festival, Butte 100 Mountain Bike Race, the An Ri Ra Montana Irish Festival, Fairy and Wizards Festival, Symphony Under the Stars and more.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 37
WALTER HINICK/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Lena Naipo leads Kahulanui a Hawaiian swing band at the Montana Folk Festival last summer.
CULTURAL COLLECTIVE in July. “And it’s growing every year,” said George Everett, Mainstreet Uptown Butte’s executive director. PAULA MCGARVEY This year’s Folk Festival is set Rediscover Montana for July 8-10 and will offer more Attendees of the Montana Folk than 20 different groups representing a diverse range of musical Festival in Butte have come to expect amazing things. Since the and cultural traditions. Perforemergence of this admission-free mances are scheduled throughout the weekend on six separate festival six years ago — riding stages located in Uptown Butte. high on the wake of a successful “There’s something for everythree-year run of the National Folk Festival — the Montana Folk one,” Everett said. Quebecois group De Temps Festival has exceeded expectaAntan will be one of the many tions. The event draws upward featured performers. The mix of 170,000 people to Butte each year during the second weekend of fiddle, accordion, harmon-
Butte’s Folk Fest to honor Native voices
38 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
ica, guitar and bouzouki create a lively sound with a special joie de vivre that makes this genre a favorite with festival goers. “The Quebecois musicians are always very exciting — the audience really responds to them,” Everett said. The tamburitza (Croatian string music) of the Jerry Greevitch Orchestra should also please. “Anyone with eastern European roots will love this band,” Everett said. The Cuban sounds of Adonis Puentes and the Voice of Cuba Orchestra is also expected to be popular at the Dance Pavilion—a venue that is always a hit with
the crowds. Also performing will be Cree/ Salish singer, Fawn Wood, whose unique style will celebrate generations of Native American vocal tradition. Wood’s Native American folk genre goes along with this year’s Folk Festival theme: “Native Voices: The Varied Expressions of Montana’s Native People.” Thirteen Native American tribes call Montana home, including: Assiniboine, Blackfeet, Chippewa, Northern Cheyenne, Cree, Crow, Gros Ventre, Kootenai, Pend Please see Culture, 42
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
Helping Children & Healing Families for 120 Years
Meet Zeesy, Montana’s 2016 Children’s Miracle Network Champion Child. Diagnosed by Shodair’s Genetic team at the age of four, Zeesy suffers from GLUT1 Deficiency Syndrome, it is a complex genetic disorder that doesn’t allow your body to breakdown proteins for energy, causing seizures and developmental delays. However, with a careful diet, Zeesy will be able to catch up with her cognitive abilities and live a long, productive life.
The care at Shodair wouldn’t be possible without generous donations from people like you.
Won’t you please help? Make an online donation at Shodair.org Phone: 406.444.7560 Toll Free: 1.800.447.6614
shodair.org
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 39
40 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A SPRING/SUMMER 2016 May 2016 Billings Gazette | 41
“Freshest, Cleanest, Largest Salad Bar in Town! Gourmet Sandwiches & House Made Soups!”
8. Biankini’s 2051 Oak Street Bozeman, MT 59718 406-587-2405 biankinis.com
BOZEMAN
“German Restaurant”
7. Oktoberfest 3839 Grand Avenue Billings, MT 59102 406-894-2337 oktoberfestmt.com
“Burgers. Fries. Shakes”
6. Mooyah 2695 King Avenue West, Suite D Billings, MT 59102 406-294-3797 mooyah.com
“Asian Bistro”
5. JP Kitchen 805 24th Street West, Suite 2 Billings, MT 59102 406-206-3154 jpkitchenbillings.com
4. Bistecca at the Granary 1500 Poly Drive Billings, MT 59102 406-259-3488 bisteccagranary.com
“Real Food Done Differently with Great Billings Microbrews. Best Bite Burger a Must!”
3. Stacked, A Montana Grill 106 North Broadway Billings, MT 59101 406-534-8702 Check us out on Facebook!
BILLINGS
“Serving Travels, Sheepherders & Cattlemen Since 1890”
2. The Grand Hotel 139 McLeod Street Big Timber, MT 59011 406-932-4459 thegrand-hotel.com
“Best Fried Chicken in 100 Miles!”
1. Timber Bar 116 McLeod Street Big Timber, MT 59011 406-932-4040 timberbar4040.com
BIG TIMBER
12
19
20
14 13
7
3
15 17
4
5
6
“Gourmet Burgers, Shakes, & More”
16. Ruby’s 100% Montana Burgers 501 E. Main Street Lewistown, MT 59457 406-535-7450
“Stop in for the Best Breakfast in Town!”
15. Pourman’s Café 413 W. Main Street Lewistown, MT 59457 406-535-4277
LEWISTOWN
“Always Homecookin! Bluegrass Breakfast Every Saturday.”
14. Owl Café 203 East Main Street Laurel, MT 59044 406-628-4966
“Montana’s Best Pizza Done Redneck Style”
13. Redneck Pizza 11 South 5th Avenue Laurel, MT 59044 406-628-8733
LAUREL
“Montana BBQ Champions with Authentic Southern BBQ!”
12. Moose Creek Barbeque 105 North 2nd Street Hamilton, MT 59840 406-363-9152 moosecreekbbqmt.com
HAMILTON
“Great Beer, Great Atmosphere, and Great People”
11. Mighty Mo Brewing Company 412 Central Avenue Great Falls, MT 59405 406-952-0342 mightymobrewing.com
GREAT FALLS
“Fresh, Hand Pressed Burgers”
10. Flip Burgers & Treats 928 US Highway 2 Glasgow, MT 59230 406-228-2997 facebook.com/flipsburgersntreats
GLASGOW
“Voted Best Bar Food in Bozeman”
8
2
1
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9. Bacchus Pub 105 W. Main Street Bozeman, MT 59715 406-522-0079 bacchuspubbozeman.com
9
11
“Pick Your Sport”
23. Winner’s Pub 804 S. Central Avenue Sidney, MT 59270 winnerspubsidney.com
“Serving Great Food to Old and New Friends for 38 Years.”
22. South 40 Restaurant Lounge • Casino 207 2nd Avenue NW Sidney, MT 59270 406-433-4354 south40sidney.com
Visit us on Facebook!
21. Depot Pizza & Casino 2102 S. Central Avenue Sidney, MT 59270 406-433-4650
SIDNEY
20. Old Piney Dell 6380 US Highway 212 S Red Lodge, MT 59068 406-446-1196 rockcreekresort.com
RED LODGE
“Voted Missoula’s Best Sushi!”
19. Sushi Hana 403 North Higgins Missoula, MT 59802 406-549-7979 SushiMissoula.com
MISSOULA
“Always Fresh… Always Family”
18. Main Street Grind 713 Main Street Miles City, MT 59301 406-234-4664 facebook.com/mainstgrind
MILES CITY
“Always Fresh, Salsa Bar”
18
17. Taco Time 511 E. Main Street Lewistown, MT 59457 406-535-3435
10 22 21
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ROAD TRIP EATERY GUIDE
May 2016 Billings Gazette | A41 “Freshest, Cleanest, Largest Salad Bar in Town! Gourmet Sandwiches & House Made Soups!”
8. Biankini’s 2051 Oak Street Bozeman, MT 59718 406-587-2405 biankinis.com
BOZEMAN
“German Restaurant”
7. Oktoberfest 3839 Grand Avenue Billings, MT 59102 406-894-2337 oktoberfestmt.com
“Burgers. Fries. Shakes”
6. Mooyah 2695 King Avenue West, Suite D Billings, MT 59102 406-294-3797 mooyah.com
“Asian Bistro”
5. JP Kitchen 805 24th Street West, Suite 2 Billings, MT 59102 406-206-3154 jpkitchenbillings.com
4. Bistecca at the Granary 1500 Poly Drive Billings, MT 59102 406-259-3488 bisteccagranary.com
“Real Food Done Differently with Great Billings Microbrews. Best Bite Burger a Must!”
3. Stacked, A Montana Grill 106 North Broadway Billings, MT 59101 406-534-8702 Check us out on Facebook!
BILLINGS
“Gourmet Burgers, Shakes, & More”
16. Ruby’s 100% Montana Burgers 501 E. Main Street Lewistown, MT 59457 406-535-7450
“Stop in for the Best Breakfast in Town!”
15. Pourman’s Café 413 W. Main Street Lewistown, MT 59457 406-535-4277
LEWISTOWN
“Always Homecookin! Bluegrass Breakfast Every Saturday.”
14. Owl Café 203 East Main Street Laurel, MT 59044 406-628-4966
“Montana’s Best Pizza Done Redneck Style”
13. Redneck Pizza 11 South 5th Avenue Laurel, MT 59044 406-628-8733
LAUREL
“Montana BBQ Champions with Authentic Southern BBQ!”
12. Moose Creek Barbeque 105 North 2nd Street Hamilton, MT 59840 406-363-9152 moosecreekbbqmt.com
HAMILTON
“Great Beer, Great Atmosphere, and Great People”
11. Mighty Mo Brewing Company 412 Central Avenue Great Falls, MT 59405 406-952-0342 mightymobrewing.com
GREAT FALLS
“Pick Your Sport”
23. Winner’s Pub 804 S. Central Avenue Sidney, MT 59270 winnerspubsidney.com
“Serving Great Food to Old and New Friends for 38 Years.”
22. South 40 Restaurant Lounge • Casino 207 2nd Avenue NW Sidney, MT 59270 406-433-4354 south40sidney.com
Visit us on Facebook!
21. Depot Pizza & Casino 2102 S. Central Avenue Sidney, MT 59270 406-433-4650
SIDNEY
20. Old Piney Dell 6380 US Highway 212 S Red Lodge, MT 59068 406-446-1196 rockcreekresort.com
RED LODGE
“Voted Missoula’s Best Sushi!”
19. Sushi Hana 403 North Higgins Missoula, MT 59802 406-549-7979 SushiMissoula.com
An Irish welcome PAULA MCGARVEY Rediscover Montana
BUTTE — America’s “most Irish city” is hosting its annual An Ri Ra festival Aug. 1214. IrishCentral.com recently reported that nearly a quarter of the residents of Butte claim Irish heritage, making it the most Irish metropolitan area in the nation. And with all those Irish descendants, you’re sure to receive a warm Irish welcome. Now in its 14th year, this free festival is sponsored by the Montana Gaelic Cultural Society. An ri ra is Gaelic for noisy party or gathering, and this world class festival is aptly named.
“We bring in the best of the Irish dance and music genre,” said Frank Walsh, event director. An Ri Ra kicks off Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Butte’s historic courthouse with the raising of the Irish Flag and singing of the Irish National Anthem. The bulk of the festival’s activities are held a few blocks away at Butte’s Original Mine Yard. The outdoor stage at the venue is a repurposed mining headframe, where festival goers are treated to internationally acclaimed musicians and dancers performing before the mountainous back drop of the Continental Divide. An Ri Ra runs Friday night through 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and culminates on Sun-
An Ri Ra celebrates culture in nation’s ‘most Irish’ city
day with a traditional Irish Mass. at 11 a.m., held at the site. This year’s performers range from Butte’s own Dublin Gulch to the internationally renowned Derek Warfield & the Young Wolfe Tones. These groups will share the stage with the Celtic folk-rock sound of The Elders, the traditional ballads of Gailfean, and the stunning three part harmonies of Makem & Spain. For lovers of dance, Kevin Doyle will delight with his traditional Irish step and American tap—a performance only rivaled by the flying footwork of the critically acclaimed Illinois-based Trinity Irish Dancers. Please see Irish, 47
Culture Continued from 38 d’Oreille, Salish, Sioux, and the Little Shell Chippewa, descendants of the Ojibwe. Everett said that representatives from a majority these tribes will have a presence in the northern corner of the main venue in the Original Mine Yard throughout the festival. “We’re going to have a tribal encampment made up of seven teepees, each representing a different tribe,” he said. The festival’s Folklife Area will host to a variety of Native American dancers and performers throughout the weekend, Everett said. The First People’s Marketplace will also offer the work of Native American artists and craftspeople, rooted in the Native American experience. In addition to music, dance and Native American Culture, the festival features a wealth of family activities and a variety of ethnic and festival food on site. The festival grounds open at 5 p.m. on Friday, with an opening ceremony at the Original Mine Yard beginning at 6 p.m. The ceremony will be followed by music at various stages throughout the Uptown area through 10:30 p.m. Performances will also run Saturday from noon until 10:30, and Sunday from noon until 6:30 p.m. Buses and golf carts will be available during festival hours to help provide transportation to and from, and within the Uptown area. Everett added that city ordi-
42 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
WALTER HINICK/REDISCOVER MONTANA
A large crowd gathered for the Montana Folk Festival last summer. This year’s Folk Festival is set for July 8-10. nances do require that the festival enforce a “No Pet” policy. Information about festival performers, features, programs, schedules, camping in local parks and other logistics can be found on the Montana Folk Festival Web site at www.montanafolkfestival.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mtfolkfest. Though admission to the event is free, the Montana Folk Festival would not be possible
without the countless volunteers and generous donations of sponsors and patrons. Everett encourages festival goers to “Pony Up,” giving what they can afford to help support the annual festival. The suggested donation of $20 per person or $25 per family, for each day in attendance will help sustain the event for years to come. “We welcome and appreciate any support we get,” Everett said.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
Welcome to
Butte • Mt The Road to & GOOD TYMES CASINO Your one stop shop for ... FOOD • FUEL • FUN! • Pla Players ers Club, Double Point Days Da Wednesday’s Wednesda ednesday’s & Sunday’s Sunda • Hot Clock drawings every 15 minutes
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While you’re enjoying our summer festivities visit the Butte Plaza Mall!
3100 Harrison Avenue Butte, Montana 59701
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 43
Welcome to
Butte • Mt
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Located within walking distance of Festivals, Restaurants, Local Breweries & Distilleries and so much more that Uptown Butte has to offer! Only 8 rooms Available!
Call or book online Today! • 53 W. Park • 406.723.8928 Simplify your Butte vacation with a stop at the Butte Visitor Center. Where you’ll find information about individual attractions, walking tours, maps & more. You’ll also find friendly, knowledgeable staff to answer any of your Butte questions! While you’re here, take a narrated trolley tour of R “The Richest Hill On Earth” and even m n make a stop at the historic Be Berkeley Pit Viewing Stand.
We look forward to seeing you in Butte!
44 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
Summer Chamber Hours
www.theminershotel.com
(late May-Sept.) Monday - Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 68:00 p.m. Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 1000 George Street Butte, MT 59701 Phone: (406) 723-3177 Toll Free: (800) 735-6814 www.buttechamber.org www.buttecvb.com
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
Welcome to Welcome to
BUTTE DILLON Open Tues. - Sat. 11:30am - 7:00pm Montana St. & Rowe Rd.
All Beef Hamburgers, Homemade Fries, Homemade Ice Cream
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Warning: The Polaris RZR® can be hazardous to operate and is not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license to operate. Passengers must be at least 12 years old. Drivers and passengers should always wear helmets, eye protection, and seat belts. Always use cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol / drugs don’t mix. All drivers should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on trails. Polaris Industries Inc.
201 E. Helena Street Dillon, MT 59725 www.adventurecycleandsled.com See Dealer for Current Programs
Barrett Hospital & HealthCare Celebrates 4Years In Our New Home
Our Lodge, cabins and a pavilion make for a great get-away or wonderful place to host a wedding or event. www.homestakelodge.com Email Mandy@homestakelodge.com • 406-581-6202
An Rí Rá Montana Irish Festival
FREE ADMISSION August 12-14, 2016
Butte,Montana | The Original Mine
“Quality Healthcare Close to Home” mtgaelic.org facebook.com/anriramontana
A Production of The Montana Gaelic Cultural Society Festival Partners: Butte-Silver Bow Government, Butte-Silver Bow CVB, Butte-Silver Bow TBID
600 MT Highway 91 South Dillon, MT 59725 | (406) 683-3000 www.barretthospital.org
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 45
SOUTHWEST MONTANA HOT SPOTS 5 BUTTE
1
Lisac’s Tri Stop
2544 Harrison Ave. (406) 782-9359 Open 24 Hours
2 3
Rocker 4 5
M&M Bar & Cafe 9 S. Main St. (406) 299-3998 Sun.-Thur. 7am-10pm; Fri. & Sat. 7am-Midnight
Oasis Restaurant & Casino 2320 Amherst (406) 494-1272 Open 7 Days a Week
6
Perkins Restaurant & Bakery
2900 Harrison Ave. #2 (406) 494-2490 www.perkinsrestaurants.com
7
1 PHILIPSBURG
Sunshine Station
3830 MT Hwy 1 (406) 859-3450 www.SunshineStationMT.com
2 GEORGETOWN Brown Derby 360 Brown Derby Lane (406) 563-5788 www.BrownDerbyInn.com
3 ANACONDA
3 ANACONDA
Dunne Butte Plaza Mall 3100 Harrison Ave. Communications Inc. 204 E. Commercial (406) 563-7115 www.rf-team.com
Goosetown Training Center
909 E. Front St. (406) 563-7878 www.goosetownhealthclub.com Hours: 5:45am-9pm
Barclay II Supper Club Glacier Bank 1300 E. Commercial Ave. (406) 563-5541 Open 7 Days a Week
Community Hospital of Anaconda
ATM 307 E. Park Ave
Member FDIC
AVAILABLE (406)
563-5203 www.glacierbank.com
RFWave High Speed Internet
204 E. Commercial 401 W. Pennsylvania (406) 563-5333 (406) 563-8500 communityhospitalofanaconda.org www.rfwave.net Subway Eat Fresh Copper Village 1420 E. Park (in Thriftway) Museum/Art Center (406) 563-6570 401 E. Commercial Ave. Hours: Sun.-Thurs. 5am-11pm; (406) 563-2422 www.coppervillageartcenter.org Fri. & Sat. 5am-Midnight MUSEUM
Dee Motor Company
5 BUTTE
4 ROCKER
1200 E. Commercial Subway Eat Fresh (406) 563-5225 Town Pump Plaza www.deemotors.com (406) 782-0101 GM, Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Chevy
46 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
(406) 494-3362
Butte-Silver Bow Chamber of Commerce 1000 George St. (406) 723-3177 www.buttechamber.org
Cavanaugh’s County Celtic and Beyond 131 W. Park St. (406) 723-1183 www.countyceltic.com
Christina’s Cocina
2201 Silver Bow Blvd. (406) 723-8444 www.christinascocinacafe.com
El Taco Mexican Cusine
2300 Harrison Ave. (406) 723-9329 Sun.-Thur. 10am-10pm; Fri.-Sat. 10am-11pm
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
I-90 Exit 211, 15 miles west of Butte 1-800-332-3272 www.fairmontmontana.com
Royse’s Hamburgers, Shakes & More
5 BUTTE
Glacier Bank
Member FDIC
1880 Harrison Ave. ATM 3701 Harrison Ave. AVAILABLE 807 So. Montana
(corner of Iron and Montana)
www.glacierbank.com
Harvest Church Butte Campus
229 N. Montana (406) 299-3238 www.harvestchurch.tv
Horizon Credit Union ATM 1555 Harrison Ave.
AVAILABLE (406) 723-8288 www.hzcu.org
Joe’s Pasty
1641 Grand Ave. (406) 723-9071 Mon.-Fri. 7am-7pm; Sat. 7am-6pm; closed Sunday
Joker’s Wild/ Chef’s Garden
1201 S. Montana (406) 782-6587 Open 7 Days a Week
Lisac’s Tire
2109 Yale Ave. (406) 560-4295 Mon.-Fri, 8am-6pm; Sat. 8am-5pm
2340 Harrison Ave. (406) 782-1971 Mon.-Sat. 10:30am-7:30pm
St. James Healthcare 400 S. Clark (406) 723-2500 www.stjameshealthcare.org
Stageline Pizza
1315 S. Montana St. (406) 565-5757 Open 7 Days a Week
Staggering Ox
549 S. Main St. (406) 299-3948 Mon.-Sat. 11am-8pm; Sun. 11am-6pm
6 BOZEMAN Museum of the Rockies
600 w. Kagy Blvd. (406) 994-2251 Mon.-Sat. 9am-5pm; Sun. 12pm-5pm MUSEUM
7 DILLON Barrett Hospital and Health Care 600 State Hwy 91 S (406) 683-3000 www.barretthospital.org
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
WALTER HINICK/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Tiernan Irish Dancers perform a traditional dance routine on the Harrington and Maloney Stage in the Original Mine yard at the 2015 An Ri Ra festival.
Irish Continued from 42 Along with an abundance of music and dance, the festival also focuses on all things Irish. “Each year we present talks on Irish history, Butte’s history, and Irish culture,” said Mary Kay Maloney, An Rí Rá’s lecture and author series coordinator. The talks are presented in the Butte Silver Bow Public Archives, which is only a block away from the Original Mine Yard. Walsh added that this year’s celebration of Irish culture is especially poignant, because it coincides with the anniversary of a pivotal point in Irish history. “It’s the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising — where the Irish banded together to attempt to drive the English out of Ireland,” he said. The historical event led to a fight for Ireland’s independence in the face of the centuries’ long oppression of Irish culture by the English, which included restrictions on land ownership, language and dance, political representation and religious freedom. Other events during the weekend include the annual An Ri Ra Montana Irish Festival Run and dance workshops held with the Trinity Irish Dancers. The run takes place on Saturday and includes a one-mile fun run/ walk, along with a 5K and 10K run. Dance
The Easter Rising The Easter Rising took place in Dublin, Ireland, on April 24, 1916, and consisted of a direct rebellion against English rule. The insurrection was fueled by 800 years of oppression by England, whose centuries long attempts to control and suppress Irish culture included restricting dance, music, native language, and religion; along with other freedoms, such as political representation and land ownership. The lack of humanity and support shown by England while hundreds of thousands of people starved to death during the Great Potato Famine of 1845-1849, did little to quell the simmering animosity among the Irish people. Though the rebels involved in the Easter Rising were beaten down, with many executed by the British, it was a pivotal event in sparking the battle for Ireland’s independence. The War of Independence that followed resulted in the signing of the Anglo-Irish treaty in 1922 which divided Ireland into British-ruled Northern Ireland (6 counties) and the Irish Free State (26 counties), which later became the independent Republic of Ireland in 1949. Adapted from www.livinginireland.ie/en/culture_society/a_brief_history_of_ireland/, www.everyculture.com, “A Study of Irish Culture and History and Its Preservation Through Irish Dance” at http://jur.byu.edu/?p=5284 , and Understanding Global Cultures by Martin Gannon. workshops will be scheduled at various times throughout the weekend. For more information, call Cindy Powers at (406) 494-1203. More information about both events can be found on Montana Gaelic Cultural Society Website at www.mtgaelic.org. If a weekend of Irish culture, song and dance has got you channeling the luck of the Irish; you might want to purchase some An Ri Ra raffle tickets while you are in Butte. The grand prize is a trip for two to Ireland
with Makem & Spain (winner must provide transportation to city of departure, Boston, Mass.). Other prizes include a week’s stay at a condo in Kona, Hawaii (winner must provide transportation to Hawaii), and tickets to a home game at Notre Dame. Ticket prices are one for $5 and six for $25. For more information and festival updates, visit www.mtgaelic.org or www.facebook. com/anriramontana, or call Frank Walsh at (406) 498-4982.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 47
No fish tales Anglers troll for prizes at Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival TOM KUGLIN Rediscover Montana
Walleyes patrolling the depths of Canyon Ferry Reservoir are enough to keep any angler awake at night. The Townsend-area reservoir has become a destination for fishermen hoping to hook one of the toothy predators, and is home to a fishing tournament where finding the fish can put thousands of dollars in their pockets. Sponsored by the Townsend Chamber of Commerce, the 2016 Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival begins on June 25 and runs through the following day. It’s a contest of skill and persistence where local knowledge has proved deadly in the past as anglers vie for the coveted first prize of $10,000. With nearly $30,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs, the tournament has become one of Broadwater County’s biggest yearly events, with 300 anglers plus families descending on the Townsend and Helena areas. More information on the tournament,
events and accommodations is available through Walleyes Unlimited of Montana at montanawalleyesunlimited.net/ index.htm and the Townsend Chamber of Commerce at townsendmtchamber.com/. “A lot of time it’s pitching 1,000 jigs and most days it’s for 10 bites,” said 2015 winner Kennie Williams of Lewistown. Williams and Travis Scott of Harlowton finished second three times before breaking through last year for the win and well wishes from many fellow anglers. Townsend duo Kirk Flynn and Sean Dolan made the home water advantage pay in 2014, staying on the move throughout the weekend to earn top honors. “We were really able to work as a team and keep each other propped up,” Flynn said at that time. “I caught the big fish yesterday and he did today.” Anglers from around the northwest make up the 150 teams paying a $250 entry fee. The tournament offers more than a 1-150 chance at prizes with several places paying out and categories for male and female and adult and youth teams. The biggest walleye each day as well as the top northern pike and carp also net prize money.
TOM KUGLIN/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Lines of boats come to shore to weigh in at the 17th annual Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival in 2015. The tournament is organized by the Townsend Area Chamber of Commerce and hosts 150 two-person teams fishing for $30,000 in prizes, including daily prizes for biggest walleye, northern pike and carp. The festival is a family affair for many who fish and enjoy spending time with loved ones or the yearly meeting with old friends. It takes a small army of 40 to 50 volunteers, running events, weighing fish and making sure everyone has a safe and fun experience. The 2014 biggest fish of the tournament went to a father and son team from Huntley. Andy Rose caught the 32.25inch, 13.69-pound mammoth walleye in only 10 feet of water on Sunday afternoon. His son,
15-year-old Breyden, successfully netted the “bucket head,” earning them $1,290. “I’m proud of you, old man,” Breyden said in front of the crowd when accepting the award. The whole Rose family is no stranger to big walleyes, and it is actually Breyden’s mom and Andy’s wife who owns bragging rights in the family, with a 34inch walleye that put the boys to shame. “Mom’s got us beat,” Breyden said. Left: Andy and Breyden Rose of Huntley pose with the biggest walleye caught during the 2014 Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival. Andy Rose caught the 13-pound fish in only 10 feet of water. Right: Kennie Williams, left, and Travis Scott, winners of the 2015 Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival, show off a 28-inch walleye caught during the tournament. The duo placed second three times, finally breaking through to win in 2015. PHOTOS BY TOM KUGLIN/ REDISCOVER MONTANA
48 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
FEARLESS
FEATS 15th Evel Days lineup not for fainthearted PAULA J. MCGARVEY Rediscover Montana
If you are looking for a breathtaking, exhilarating, record-breaking good time — don’t miss Butte’s annual tribute to its hometown hero, the legendary daredevil, Evel Knievel. Born and raised in Butte, Evel Knievel launched his professional career 50 years ago on a ramp in Indio, California while straddling a Norton 750cc Atlas motorcycle. He revved up his engine and successfully soared 45 feet in the air over a pair of pick-up trucks— touching down unscathed to the delight of the mesmerized crowd. According to Terri James, Butte, EK Days Inc. president, that jump will be recreated this summer at the 15th annual Evel Knievel Days (EK Days) being held July 21-23 in Uptown Butte, right down to the very same leathers he wore that day. EK Days celebrates and honors the spirit of the late Evel Knievel, an undaunted daredevil whose epic legacy has inspired a new generation of risk-takers and extreme sports athletes. A true festival of the fearless, last year, the event shattered four Guinness World Records — including a world record semi jump by Nitro Circus founder, Gregg Godfrey. That feat was featured on ESPN Sportcenter’s Top Ten and has more than 30 million views on YouTube (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=RKC7r-6fRWk). The event also offers the bold and the brave a chance to experience the extreme. “Evel Knievel Days has racing events for those who like to be
WALTER HINICK/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Levi Troutman, “The Kamikaze Kid” breaks through the last blazing fire wall to set a new world record of running through 10 firewalls during Evel Days last year. This summer’s Evel Knievel Days are set for July 21-23 in Uptown Butte. more than spectators,” James said. Those events include: EvelKross, which is like dirt bike racing on steroids; Evel Urban Downhill mountain bike race, which is considered the nastiest urban mountain bike race in North America; and the Evel Urban Skate contest, which sends skateboarders in the air and down the rails on Main Street at speeds topping 30 mph. James said that new to EK Days this year will be the Evel Drift Trike Races. “Basically big wheel trikes zooming straight down north Main Street,” she said. This will be the largest stage that any drift bike race has been held as of yet in the U.S. — with riders coming from all over the Pacific Northwest, Colorado and the East Coast.
These thrilling activities will join the regular line-up of stunt bikes, Freestyle Motocross events, kids’ area, live music, and annual EK Days Bike Parade — making the festival fun for the whole family.
For more information and updates as the festival approaches, visit the EK Days Web site at www.evelknieveldays.org or Facebook at www.facebook.com/ Evel-Knievel-Days-Official-FanPage-384001500070/.
Phil Aaberg June 26 MT Chamber Music Society + Muir July 17 Jeni Fleming July 24 Young MT Musicians August 7 String Orchestra of the Rockies August 21 Georgetown Lake, MT
For tickets and more info visit www.sttimothysmusic.org
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 49
SOUTHWEST COUNTRY CALENDAR ANACONDA
the Continental Divide outside of Butte. The race has grown from a small group of dedicated locals on a gravel road to world-class athletes competing on world-class trails. butte100.com. The An Ri Ra Montana Irish Festival Aug. 12-14 Nationally known musicians gather for this free festival at the Original Mineyard. The event celebrates Irish heritage and Irish contributions to the community of Butte and the state of Montana and features food and kids’ activities. Scheduled performers include The Elders, Gailfean, Makem & Spain, Dublin Gulch, Trinity Irish Dancers, Derek Warfield & the Young Wolfe Tones and Kevin Doyle. Visit mtgaelic.org/an-ri-ra-montanairish-festival for more information.
Art in the Park July 15-17 Copper Village’s annual fundraiser features arts, food, crafts and music in the shade of Washoe Park and along Warm Springs Creek. 406-563-2422 or coppervillageartcenter.com.
AUGUSTA
American Legion Rodeo and Parade June 26 Held on the last Sunday in June, this is one of the largest one-day rodeos in Montana. The annual Augusta Rodeo features a parade and a rodeo. Located under the Rocky Mountain Front, Augusta is the closest entry into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and there are many other recreational choices in the Augusta area.
BUTTE
Uptown Art Walk June 3 Art Walk is held the first Friday of the month through the summer and early fall. Call 406-782-5217 or visit facebook.com/uptownbutteartwalk for more information. Butte Freedom Festival July 1-4 Features fireworks at Big M on July 3, sponsored by the Kenneally Family and Town Pump Foundation, and parade on Harrison Avenue on July 4.
WALTER HINICK/REDISCOVER MONTANA
New Orleans Brass Band plays at the Montana folk Festival with an informal parade through the crowd at the Original Mine stage. Montana Folk Festival July 8-10 Thousands of people flock to the Mining City every summer for this free festival. This year’s lineup includes the Marquise Knox, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, The Jerry Grcevitch Orchestra and more. Montanafolkfestival. com.
WALTER HINICK/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Anaconda Art in the Park in Washoe Park is set for July 15-17 and features crafts, food and entertainment.
50 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
Montana Lineman’s Rodeo July 16 Event takes place at the Butte Vigilante Saddle Club Rodeo Grounds, 6354 Albany St. It is a competition for lineman, equipment operators and tree trimmers through safe work conditions. All ages have much to watch and do, including bucket truck rides, a bounce house, ladies pole climb, electric safety demonstrations and more. Mtlinemansrodeo.com. Evel Knievel Days July 21-23 The festival features motorcycle and human stunts, races, food and music honoring Butte’s famous stuntman Evel Knievel. Evelknieveldays.org. Butte 100 Mountain Bike Race July 30 Known as the most difficult mountain bike race around, the Butte 100 consists of three individual races, 25-, 50- and 100mile distances, taking place atop
CLANCY
Fairy and Wizards Festival June 25 Annual Fairy and Wizards Festival. This is the one day of the year that garden fairies and wizards can be seen with the naked eye. Fun and festivities for the whole family. Dress as your favorite fairy, gnome, elf or wizard. Vendors, activities for the kids, music, great food, kid’s parades! Meet the Fairy Godmothers and the Tooth fairy, Storyteller Fairy and the Troll that lives under the bridge. Tizer Gardens. 406-933-8789 or tizergardens.com.
DEER LODGE
Big Sky Draft Horse Expo July 1-3 A popular event in Deer Lodge, the Big Sky Draft Horse Expo is a friendly competition that’s fun for the whole family. The fun happens at the fairgrounds in Deer Lodge. For more information call 496490-1305 or visit drafthorseexpo. com. Tri-County Fair and Rodeo Aug. 17-21 This year’s theme is “Freedom Flies over Montana Skies.” Fun
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
SOUTHWEST COUNTRY CALENDAR
The Last Chance Stampede and Fair is July 27-30 in Helena. REDISCOVER MONTANA
MADISON COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS RODEO SCHEDULE 2016, TWIN BRIDGES, MT
2 Fairgrounds Loop, Twin Bridges, MT 59754 • (406) 684-5824 Sr. Pro Rodeo: June 18 at 7 pm • June 19 at 3 pm Madison County Fair: August 10-14, 2016 Madison County Ranch Rodeo: August 11 at 6 pm Jacobs Livestock NRA Rodeo: August 12 at 7 pm August 13 at 7 pm All Girls Stock Saddle Bronc Riding Contest sponsored by IMOC Building Supplies
High School Rodeo: August 27 at 10 am August 28 at 9 am
Madison County Fair & Rodeo • Twin Bridges CONTACT: mcfair@3rivers.net
open later (from 5 to 9 p.m.) on the First Friday of every month. For more information, visit Helena 1st Fridays Facebook page at facebook.com/1stfridayshelena. Governor’s Cup June 11 Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, kids’ marathon and fun run. Visit govcupmt.com. Symphony Under the Stars July 16 This year featured the music will include performance of some of Broadway’s greatest hits. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. on the Carroll College lawn. Doug LaBrecque and Christiane Noll star in this year’s production. Last Chance Stampede and Fair July 27-30 Gary Allan kicks things off at
THOM BRIDGE/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Chris Lee runs the 10K with his battalion flag in hand at the Governor’s Cup. 7:30 p.m. on June 27. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 the date of the show. Rodeos starting at 7:30 p.m., July 28-30. Montana’s Annual “Last Chance Stampede and Fair” will be held at the Lewis and Clark County Fairground’s new facility. Check out the exhibits, ride the Northstar Amusement Carnival Rides and take in three exciting nights of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association action.
37th ANNUAL ARt IN thE WAShOE PARK IN ANACONDA!
SponSored by Copper Village art MuSeuM bands including the Hot Rod Deluxe on w e n g Satur n uri July 15, 16, 17 day. Feat Friday the 15th: Heather Lingle 3:00 - 5:30 Hours
and activities throughout the week For information, call 406-859concluding with the always-favor- 6726. ite Demolition Derby at the fairgrounds at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21. HELENA For a complete schedule of events Alive@Five visit powellcountymt.gov. Wednesdays June 1-Aug. 31 Enjoy live music in downtown DILLON Helena at the 19th annual Alive@ Montana’s Biggest Weekend Five summer concert series, every Wednesday night from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 3-5 The Dillon Jaycee Labor Day Ro- People of all ages are welcome. deo, concert and parade provide an Alive@Five features good food, a exciting end to summer. The arena family atmosphere and free music action lures America’s top riders at different downtown locations and ropers. For details, visit dil- each week. It’s a great way to relonjaycees.com. lax and enjoy a beautiful evening along the most historic mile in Montana. For more information PHILIPSBURG Flint Creek Valley Days visit downtownhelena.com or call July 24-26 406-447-1535. First Fridays of each month Three days of seeing old friends, dancing, parades, pancake breakStores in Downtown Helena fast, kid carnivals and a car show. along Last Chance Gulch will be
Sho Down 6:00 - 10:00 Friday - Noon to 10:00 P.M. Saturday - 10:00 A.M. TO 9:30 P.M. Saturday the 16th: Shane Clouse 12:00 - 3:00 Jamel Baost 3:30 - 6:00 • Mighty Flick 7:00 - 10:00 Sunday - 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Sunday the 17th: Bitterroot Jug Band 1:00 - 4:00
80 Art and Craft Booths | 20 Food Vendors
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 51
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Announcing a hardcover book! BILLINGS MEMORIES II: THE 1940s, 1950s AND 1960s BOOK DETAILS: Due to the overwhelming popularity of “Billings Memories: The Early Years,” The Billings Gazette is proud to partner with the Western Heritage Center, Rocky Mountain College, Montana State University Billings, Billings Public Library and our readers on a new hardcover pictorial history book, “Billings Memories II: The 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.” This heirloom-quality coffee-table book offers a glimpse of Billings from 1940-1969 with a brief reprise of the early years through stunning and historic photos. In addition, we are thrilled to include photographic memories of years gone by from our readers. Reserve your copy today and save $15!
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52 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
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SPRING/SUMMER 2016
INSIDE THIS SECTION
SOUTHEAST COUNTRY
Magic City Blues
ZooMontana
Calendar of events
Visit Southeast Country for the Montana Renaissance Festival, Heart and Sole Run, Strawberry Festival, Big Sky State Games, Crow Fair, Laurel’s Fourth of July Celebration and more.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 53
HANNAH POTES/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Kelly Hunt performs on the Budweiser Stage on Montana Avenue on July 31, 2015, at Magic City Blues. This year’s event returns to Montana Avenue with headliners Ziggy Marley and Kenny Wayne Shepherd on Aug. 5 and 6.
MONTANA AVENUE MAGIC Blues fest returns to its roots with 1 location JACI WEBB Rediscover Montana
Five-time Grammy winning reggae artist Ziggy Marley and Kenny Wayne Shepherd will headline Magic City Blues Aug. 5 and 6. This year event returns to one location, Montana Avenue, and two nights, after an overwhelm-
ing response from a poll of the festival’s fans last year. Marley, the oldest son of the late Bob Marley, will take the stage at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6. After Bob Marley died in 1981, Ziggy began performing in his place with the Wailers, touring in support of Bob Marley’s compilation album, “Legend,” released in 1984. “These legacy artists are the best because they cut across de-
54 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
mographics like no others,” said Magic City Blues founder and promoter Tim Goodridge. Ziggy Marley won a Grammy Award in 2014 for Best Reggae Album for his fifth solo studio album, “Fly Rasta.” Other Saturday night performers booked so far include Jared Stewart, Fiona Boyes, Altered Five Blues Band and The Record Company. Kenny Wayne Shepherd will headline the Aug. 5 night at
Magic City Blues. Shepherd, a singer/songwriter and lauded guitarist, entered the blues scene at the age of 13 in 1990. The Shreveport, La., native taught himself to play guitar, learning with his first guitar at the age of 4. Guthrie Brown and the Family Tree, and Elle King, also are scheduled to perform Friday night. Please see Blues, 57
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
Events • Entertainment • Music
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SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 55
DINING • SHOPPING
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56 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
Blues Continued from 54 During the festival’s 14-year history, Goodridge has incorporated many novel ideas, from adding a Sunday show at South Park, to holding a Soul Run and inviting artists to decorate garbage cans to benefit a nonprofit. Things began to get comfortable over at South Park, so Goodridge moved the Saturday night show there, too. But moving the stage and all of the sound equipment from Montana Avenue to South Park in the middle of the night got old fast. So Goodridge put the question to festival fans on Facebook and through an email blast. Fans were asked to choose between the two venues. In all, 843 fans responded, mostly in favor of Montana Avenue.
HANNAH POTES/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Lucinda Williams performs on the final night of Magic City Blues Fest on Aug. 2, 2015. This year’s event returns to Please see Blues, 58 Montana Avenue with headliners Ziggy Marley and Kenny Wayne Shepherd on Aug. 5 and 6.
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SPRING/SUMMER 2016 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A 57
HANNAH POTES/ REDISCOVER MONTANA
Buddy Guy performs for thousands on the Budweiser Stage on July 31, 2015, at Magic City Blues Festival downtown. This year’s event returns to Montana Avenue with headliners Ziggy Marley and Kenny Wayne Shepherd on Aug. 5 and 6.
Blues Continued from 57 Of the respondents, 59 percent opted for Montana Avenue, compared to 41 percent who wanted to keep MCB at South Park. “Every age group preferred Montana Avenue,” Goodridge said. “One of the quotes I saw repeated by several people was, ‘Montana Avenue is just a unique setting. Nowhere else can we feel like we are in a big city.’ That’s what pushed people over the edge.” “There are plenty of festivals by
58 R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
rivers and in parks. This location is special, truly urban,” one fan wrote in an email. On out-of-town fan wrote, “There is access to five breweries and several outstanding restaurants and my hotel is walking distance from the venue.” Another big factor is multiple stages downtown. The main stage is set up on Montana Avenue facing west, and the Stillwater Stage is set up next to the McCormick Cafe facing south. There is very little sound bleeding from one stage to the other. Trying to stay relevant in a time when new outdoor music festivals are cropping up every year has
driven Goodridge to stay connected to his fans and to providing the best stage, sound and atmosphere possible. That also helps him recruit national acts. “The thing that artists want to do is perform a show where they can present in a way they want to be presented with a good stage and sound system and an appreciative crowd,” Goodridge said. “That’s why it’s fun to perform at our shows — because you get all of that.” Tickets for Magic City Blues are available now at the Pub Station in Billings or Cactus Records in Bozeman; online at www.magiccityblues. com; or by phone 406-534-0400.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
WILD SIDE
Summer events pack calendar at ZooMontana MIKE FERGUSON Rediscover Montana
It’s clear from recent turnout at fun, active events — renaissance festivals, Scottish Highland games, even a kids’ competition to determine who can operate the best lemonade stand — that the humans are reasserting themselves at ZooMontana. It’s a desired development, says ZooMontana Executive Director Jeff Ewelt, and it’s helping zoo officials to fund needed facilities, including a new pavilion that will be able to shade up to 300 event-goers. The pavilion is expected to be ready in July. During a tour of the zoo he’s worked to strengthen over the last five years, Ewelt said that summertime special events have performed well beyond staff expectations. “We will be expecting maybe 500 people, and 2,000 will show up,” he said. “Our attendance has been almost scary.” More than 100,000 visitors made their way through zoo turnstiles in 2015, and Ewelt expects 120,000 visitors in 2016. He believes it won’t be long before a quarter-million people annually take in all the attractions and the special events that the zoo, at 2100 S. Shiloh Road, has to offer. “These special events really help drive our attendance,” he said. “We’ve noticed a spike without a doubt. They’ve created a community gathering space.” April and May are dominated by the school field trip crowd. Please see Wild, 60
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
BOB ZELLAR/ REDISCOVER MONTANA
The Siberian tiger exhibit at ZooMontana in Billings could see improvements to the tigers’ moat. A peacock greets visitors at ZooMontana in Billings.
ConCessions available June, July and august!
DEEPLY ROOTED • BRANCHING OUT • GROWING STRONGer
Discover Powell, Wyoming In the heart of the Basin, Great People, Wholesome Values! Nestled between the picturesque Big Horn and Absaroka mountain ranges of Northwest Wyoming, Powell is a community historically rooted in agriculture.
Agricultural Tours
We can help you learn more about the agriculture industry in and around Powell by customizing a tour for you or your group. Learn about crops, livestock production, irrigation systems & more. Chartered Bus Tours Available. Call to set up your tour. Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce 111 S. Day Street
307-754-3494
www.powellchamber.org
R E D I S C O V E R M O N TA N A
59
The new takin exhibit under construction at ZooMontana in Billings.
Wild Continued from 59 About 10,000 students from schools in Montana and Wyoming visit the zoo during those two months. After that, a growing number of event-goers take advantage of the zoo’s grounds, its many volunteers who help make the events possible and an ambiance that can’t be found anywhere else. One of the most popular summer events is the Montana Renaissance Festival, set for June 4-5. A car show with the catchy name ZoomMontana will be offered June 11, and two weeks later, on June 25, those who appreciate Scottish athletic prowess will enjoy the Highland Games. On Family Fun Day July 24, children will be treated to demonstrations by a wandering magician, the thrill of a a bounce house and the zoo’s new playground. Five evenings earlier, on July 19, the zoo will be a place for adults only during ZooFair, where burgers, brews and bands will focus the attention of those 21 and older. “We are multi-generational,
BOB ZELLAR/REDISCOVER MONTANA
ZooMontana Director Jeff Ewelt and the new playground equipment at the zoo in Billings. New facilities are possible because the zoo has seen a steady increase in attendance, fueled in part because of special summer activities offered up at the zoo, at 2100 S. Shiloh Road. meaning an 80-year-old grandmother can enjoy the zoo as much as her 5-year-old grandson,” Ewelt said. “I always find that to be a real perk of our organization.” The Summerland Tour 2016, hosted by 11:11 presents, will feature Sugar Ray, Everclear, Lit and Sponge performing an outdoor show on Aug. 3. Gates open at at 5 p.m. and the show begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $37 in advance, $40 at the gate and are available at 1111presents. com, Pub Station Box Office, 2502 First Ave. N., ZooMontana or by calling (877) 987- 6487. Youth will return to power Aug. 6 during LemonZOOade Day. Children will build and staff lemonade stands and judges will reward those with the tastiest products.
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The summer schedule is also dotted with dozens of wedding rehearsals and wedding ceremonies. With the boost in visitors come new animal exhibits, Ewelt said. A breeding pair of wolverines will arrive from Europe late in the year, and habitat is being prepared in anticipation of their arrival. A webcam trained on grizzly bears Ozzy and Bruno gives people 24/7 access to the bruins’ antics. The Bear Cam has been rated by its supplier, EarthCam, as one of the 10 best zoo cameras in the world. Three takin, a goat-antelope normally found in the Himalaya Mountains, are expected in May. “They’re a Dr. Seuss-looking animal,” Ewelt said. “They’ve got a moose nose and a goat body.”
That large nose warms the takin’s sinuses, which allows the critter to more easily breathe frosty mountain air. Like the Siberian tigers at the zoo, Ewelt predicts a pleasant stay for the takins, especially headed into the cooler weather this fall. Ewelt said there are enough long-term projects to keep staff and contractors busy for years to come, including paving the parking lot and, through a partnership with ExxonMobil, repairing the plumbing and the concrete in the tigers’ moat so that it can once again hold enough water to cool the Siberian felines on hot days. “We have that trust and credibility back,” Ewelt said. “People know that we’re not in debt anymore, and they’re excited about that and about our future.”
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SOUTHEAST COUNTRY CALENDAR BILLINGS
Alive After 5 June 2-Aug. 25 A local favorite, this popular weekly concert series has grown to include free, live performances from 5 to 9 p.m. every Thursday. Music lovers enjoy concerts at various downtown locations, where beverages and food are also available. 406-259-5454 or downtownbillings.com. Montana Renaissance Festival June 4-5 Take in the atmosphere of a 16th century European Country Faire and its bustling marketplace on the grounds of ZooMontana. The event will feature full-contact armored jousting tournaments. Storytellers, musicians, singers, dancers and villagers will be on hand in period dress. 406-6528100 or montanarenfest.com. Moss Mansion Springfest June 4 SpringFest is held on the CASEY PAGE/REDISCOVER MONTANA grounds of the Moss Mansion, 914 Division St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The carnival is one attraction at MontanaFair, set for Aug. 12-20 at MetraPark. Featuring arts and crafts vendors, Festival of Cultures food concessions, and live enterHealthy Community Campaign June 12 and Trails Development. 406tainment and a kids’ corner with carnival style games. 406-256Celebrate cultural diversity with 254-7426 or heartandsolerace. 5100, mossmansion.com. participants from all over the re- com. Highland Games gion and neighboring states. From June 25 10 am. to 5 p.m., ethnic entertainment, a student-created inspiraThis Scottish-Irish inspired tional fine art show, interactive event features athletics, music, children’s activities and hooping dancing and more on the grounds fun for young adults are all on the of ZooMontana. Lea Ann Yucha at lush lawn of Rocky Mountain Col- 406-652-8100 ext. 213 or monlege. Food is available, but attend- tanarenfest.com. Symphony in the Park ees are welcome to bring picnic June 26 baskets. The festival is hosted by the Institute for Peace Studies, and This free outdoor community admission is free. 406-657-1042 concert is a great way to take in BOB ZELLAR/REDISCOVER MONTANA or rocky.edu. the Billings Symphony Orchestra Heart and Sole Run at Pioneer Park. An instrument Travis Sutton competes in the June 18 ‘petting zoo’ at 4 p.m., 5 p.m. farmers carry at the Highland In its 36th year, this benefit race Community Band concert and the Games at ZooMontana in Billings. includes people of all ages and main concert at 7 p.m. 406-252abilities. Starting at St. Vincent 3610 or billingssymphony.org. activities, food and fun at 8 a.m. Strawberry Festival Healthcare, a 2-mile health walk Free, live entertainment on two June 11 stages and a 60-foot strawberry and a 5K and 10K run end in DeBOB ZELLAR/REDISCOVER MONTANA hler Park. A free Active Life FestiThe downtown streets of Bill- shortcake make for one fun, sweet Russ Engesser plays accordion at val with fun, music and food fol- ings are lined with more than 100 day. 406-259-5454 or downtownSpringFest at the Moss Mansion. lows. Proceeds benefit the YMCA arts and crafts vendors, children’s billings.com.
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SOUTHEAST COUNTRY CALENDAR
CASEY PAGE/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Crow tribal members portraying Sioux and Cheyenne warriors cross the Little Bighorn River with the American and 7th Cavalry flags after defeating Gen. Custer in the Real Bird Battle of the Little Bighorn Reenactment.
BOB ZELLAR/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Madiline Felder, 4, looks at the spinning art at The Copper Spinner booth as her Mother Kasey looks on at SummerFair in Billings. SummerFair July 9-10 Check out one of the largest juried arts and crafts festivals in the state at this fundraiser for the Yellowstone Art Museum. The event is at Veterans Park and admission is $3 for adults, free for those 17 and younger. Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 406-256-6804, ext. 236 or artmuseum.org. Big Sky State Games July 15-17 This Olympic-style sports festival hosts more than 10,000
Montana and Wyoming residents. Opening ceremonies include torch lighting by an Olympic athlete. More than 30 competitions take place around town throughout the weekend. 406-254-7426 or bigskygames.org. Summerland Tour 2016 Aug. 3 11:11 Presents Sugar Ray, Everclear, Lit, Sponge perform at ZooMontana. Gates open at at 5 p.m., show begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $37 in advance, $40 at the gate and available at 1111presents.com, Pub Station Box Office, 2502 First Ave.
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N.,), ZooMontana or by calling (877) 987- 6487. Magic City Blues Aug. 5-6 Montana’s largest urban music festival takes place on Montana Avenue on Friday and Saturday. Headliners include Ziggy Marley, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Elle King and more. Magiccityblues.com MontanaFair Aug. 12-20 The fair draws nearly a quarter of a million attendees each year. Multi-platinum pop star, Jason Derulo, is the first announced act and will perform at Rimrock Auto Arena on Aug. 12. ValuPasses to the fair include all grounds and night show entertainment and are available at metrapark.com. ‘You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown’ July 22-24, 29-31 NOVA’s Youth Conservatory kicks off the new season with a comic book style play “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.” For more information call 406-5919535 or visit novabillings.org.
CROW AGENCY
Battle of the Little Bighorn Reenactment June 24-26 At 1 p.m. each day, on the banks of the Little Bighorn River, the Real Bird family hosts a reenactment of “Custer’s Last Stand” from the American Indian point of view. Featuring local riders and re-enactors from around the United States, the Battle of the Little Bighorn Re-enactment began nearly 20 years ago as a way to impart more Native American history and culture, and takes place during Crow Native Days. Littlebighornreenactment.com. Crow Fair Aug. 17-22 The nation’s largest modern-day American Indian encampment celebrates its 98th year. This year features dancing, drumming, food, daily rodeos and racing, evening powwows, morning parades and at the close of the fair, the Dance-Through Camp. Visit crow-nsn.gov and watch for updated information.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
SOUTHEAST COUNTRY CALENDAR GLENDIVE
Buzzard Day June 14 The return of the turkey vulture to Eastern Montana is celebrated annually on the second Saturday of June at Makoshika State Park. Entertainment and events for all age groups, including a pancake breakfast, Buzzard Burger lunch, nature walks, 5K and 10K runs, and festival games are part of the fun, and each year, new events are added. 406-377-6256 or stateparks.mt.gov/makoshika/. Cars in the Park June 24-25 The Badlands Drifters Car Club hosts this annual two-day car show in Eyer Park, where more than 30 trophies are awarded. Other events include a scavenger hunt, fun run and a dance to ‘60s music at Moose Lodge. Badlandsdrifters.com.
HARDIN
Little Bighorn Days June 25-28 The past comes alive every June in and around Hardin. Highlights of Little Bighorn Days include living history areas, arts and crafts fairs, a book fair, a 5K run/walk, a Lamborghini show. Parades, an 1876 Grand Ball and much more. Hardinmt.com.
MONTANA STATE PARKS
Makoshika State Park will hold its annual Buzzard Day on June 14.
HUNTLEY PROJECT
Threshing Bee Aug. 20-21 The South Central Montana Antique Tractor and Machinery Association sponsors this weekend of steam and gas threshing with events for the whole family. A
stationary engine display, gas tractor and steam engine plowing, hay baling, binding, a sawmill, wood planer and shingle mill, working blacksmith shop, tractor pull competition, parade, arts, crafts, live music and concessions are daily at Huntley Project Museum of Ir-
rigated Agriculture. Antiquetractorclub.org.
LAUREL
Fourth of July Celebration More than 15,000 people gather at Thomson Park for activities, including a pancake breakfast, the Chief Joseph Run, kiddie parade, grand parade, food and craft fair, live entertainment all day, and one of Montana’s largest fireworks displays at night. 406-628-8105 or laurelmontana.org.
POMPEYS PILLAR
HANNAH POTES/REDISCOVER MONTANA
A Case steam engine circles the event Sunday during the Threshing Bee southwest of Worden.
BOB ZELLAR/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Durrae Johanek spins yarn at Clark Days.
Clark Days July 30 William Clark’s stop at Pompeys Pillar on July 25, 1806, is marked at Pompeys Pillar National Monument. Historical talks, nature walks, Native American cultural presentations, music, and food are part of the annual commemoration, where Saturday camping is allowed for just one night of the year. 406-969-5380 or pompeyspillar.org/clark-days.
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INSIDE THIS SECTION
CENTR AL COUNTRY
Lewis and Clark Festival
Cowboy Poetry
Red Ants Pants
Calendar of events Visit Central Country for the Whoop-Up Days and Rhubarb Festival, Riverside Voices, the Montana State Fair, Pioneer Power Day Threshing Bee, the Montana Chokecherry Festival and more.
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ANT HILL
THOM BRIDGE/REDISCOVER MONTANA
A member of the crowd cuts a rug on the first night of Red Ants Pants Music Festival during Lee Ann Womack’s set.
Wynonna Judd headlines this year’s Red Ants Pants Music Festival
can fill that cow pasture better than hers.” Judd has had such a range of Five-time Grammy winner Wynonna Judd and her band the success, added Calhoun, starting Big Noise will headline this year’s out playing with her mom Naomi and now with her own band Big Red Ants Pants Music Festival, Noise. July 28-31, in White Sulphur “They have a new record out, Springs. and it’s just doing super well,” Now in its sixth year, the muCalhoun said. sic festival in a cow pasture has Rolling Stone Magazine degrown to be one of Montana’s scribed the group as having, “a favorite musical gatherings. Last year the three-day festival raw, unvarnished approach to the album’s dozen tracks, which drew 14,000 music lovers. run the gamut from gutsy blues Turns out the artists love it to sweet, Seventies-inspired too, with many eager to return. country-pop. While the LP is a As one member of Red Molly natural for the wide-open Amersaid, “We’ve had fun all over icana format, Wynonna’s legions the world, but the Red Ants of country fans will feel right at Pants vibe just stands out as the home…” friendliest.” Rolling Stone has called Wyn“I’m just so thrilled to have a onna “the greatest female counfemale headliner this year,” said try singer since Patsy Cline.” Sarah Calhoun, festival founder “Before her and just as exand organizer. “Talk about a woman who can citing are The Mavericks,” said Calhoun. They’ve been dubbed own it. I don’t think there are “America’s best dance band” and that many women’s voices that
Red Molly performs at the Red Ants Pants Music Festival on Saturday, July 25, the second day of the festival.
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play a mix of old-school country, rock ‘n’ roll, rock steady, Tejano music and Latino rhythms from merengue to norteño waltz, and swing.” Frontman Raul Malo said he likes “to make a place where all people can come together” through music — something the dance band is known for. They earned the Americana Music Association’s Award for the 2015 Best Group of the Year and previously won the Academy of Country Music Awards Top Vocal Group, the Country Music Association Awards Vocal Group of the Year (1995 and 1996) and
a Grammy for Best Country Performance (1995). Calhoun describes them as “Latin-influence rockabilly, upbeat fun ... country,” she said. “They’re fantastic. That will be a phenomenal Saturday night.” Closing this year’s festival on Sunday is Lone Bellow, an indie folk trio out of Brooklyn. “These folks are probably one of the most high-energy live shows I’ve ever seen,” said Calhoun. She saw them two years ago in Nashville and calls them “incredible.” Please see Hill, 67
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Turnpike Troubadors perform at Red Ants Pants Music Festival on Saturday, July 25, the second day of the music festival in White Sulphur Springs.
Hill Continued from 66 “You can’t help but love them. They’re very, very fun. They’re going to be a big hit, I’m sure of that.” People magazine labeled their 2013 self-named album one of the Top 10 albums of the year. While Entertainment Weekly said it was “one of the top reasons to love country music.” On Friday night, Montana’s own Mission Mountain Wood Band will bring their much loved special brand of musical entertainment to the festival stage. “It’s so neat to bring them back to a big stage in Montana,” Calhoun said. Expect bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll, and country-rockin Montana party music as only Mission Mountain can offer. Rising to national prominence in the 1970s and ‘80s, the band toured nonstop, putting over 2.5 million miles on their scenic cruiser tour bus and playing over 250 cities a year for a dozen years. Other Red Ants performers include: Hayes Carll, Corb Lund,
THOM BRIDGE/REDISCOVER MONTANA
Ryan Bingham closes out the second night of the Red Ants Pants Music Festival on July 25, 2015, in White Sulphur Springs. music festival brings in millions of dollars to the rural economy. It also raises money for the Red Ants Pants Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports women’s leadership, working farms and ranches, and rural communities.
Tickets
Crosscut competition finals Sunday, July 26 at Red Ants Pants Music Festival. Ray Wylie Hubbard, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Dar Williams, Shinyribs (featuring Kevin Russell of the Gourds), The McCrary Sisters, Henry Wagons, Eilen Jewell, Underhill Rose, Laney
Jones and the Spirits, Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs (2015 Red Ants Pants Music Festival Emerging Artist Winners), and Dead Horses. The weekend-long, grassroots
A three-day weekend pass is $135 in advance and $150 at the gate. One-day passes are $55 in advance and $60 at the gate. Camping is $20 per person for the weekend. Camping passes are available only at the gate. Kids 12 and under are free for festival and camping when accompanied by an adult. The festival offers 50 VIP weekend passes for $500 each, which provide a great view of the stage, shaded seating, and complimentary refreshments, beer and wine. Full festival details are available at RedAntsPantsMusicFestival.com.
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Rediscovering ADVENTURE COURTESY LEWIS AND CLARK FOUNDATION PHOTOS
The Lewis and Clark Honor Guard presents a black powder rifle salute during the Lewis and Clark Festival.
Lewis and Clark Festival adds bluegrass festival to lineup the Corps of Discovery faced one of the biggest obstacles of their journey — a series of waterfalls known as the Great Falls of the Missouri River Set in Gibson Park, along the banks of the Missouri, the Lewis and Clark Festival includes presentations by speakers in period dress, hands-on activities and performances by American Indian dancers and drummers.
bands will perform. “This is the first year with the Bluegrass concert — we thought The Lewis and Clark Festival it was the perfect segue into the in Great Falls opens a portal to Lewis and Clark Festival,” said the past with an experience that Jay Russell, Lewis and Clark is so fun and family friendly — Foundation executive director. your kids might not even realize The concert starts off with two they’re learning. Organized by Montana bands: Grant & Lee the Lewis and Clark Foundafrom Great Falls, followed by Two tion, this year’s festival takes Bit Franks from Livingston. The place June 17-19 and includes concert’s headlining band is the a bluegrass festival, American aptly named, Lewis and Clark Indian dancers, a luminaria walk Bluegrass Expedition, out of and an excursion to the Gates of Bluegrass in the Park Southern Missouri. A 9:30 p.m. the Mountains for dinner and a The three-day festival starts cruise on the Missouri River. off with a bang on Friday evening jam session will include all three bands. Gates open at 4 p.m. Now in its 27th year, the fesat 5:30 p.m. with the Lewis and Tickets are $20 in advance from tival offers an entertaining and Clark Honor Guard presenting Mansfield Box Office (406-455interactive history lesson — trav- arms for a black powder rifle 8514), or $25 at the gate. The eling back to 1805, when Merisalute at the Gibson Park Band wether Lewis, William Clark and Shell, after which three bluegrass Bluegrass event features food
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concessions, several microbrews, domestic beer and wine.
Festival in Gibson Park
Saturday’s festival events are free to the public and will open with another “blast from the past” when the Lewis and Clark Honor Guard presents a black powder rifle salute at 10 a.m. in Gibson Park. The Honor Guard will be firing and displaying period firearms throughout the day, culminating in an evening program featuring functioning reproduction firearms. (All firearms will be loaded and fired with a blank charge.) Entertainment is planned Please see Adventure, 69
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Adventure
Dinner cruise to Gates of the Mountains
Continued from 68 throughout the day, including American Indian dancers and drummers, Peter and Molly Wilson, Jeff Christiansen, Jeni Dodd and Rick Tryon and a youth fiddler group. Kenneth Thomasma, author of “Naya Nuki: Girl Who Ran”, “The Truth About Sacajawea” will be telling tales in the Children’s Area. Other activities include Native American games and bartering at the trade blanket. Children are encouraged to bring an item to trade. “We have a number of fun things for them to trade for,” Russell said. Representatives of the Corps’ canine member, Capt. Lewis’ shaggy Newfoundland dog named Seaman, will be also be on site. Though Newfoundlands are a working breed, historically used for sea rescue, guard duty, and hunting — these gentle giants will be relaxing in the shade while kids hear about the famous Corps of Discovery dog. Two conjoined teepees will form the stage for the Council Lodge Presentation Area where the Lewis and Clark Honor Guard will give presentations in period dress every hour. Programs include “Bleed, Purge and Pray: Medicine Lewis and Clark Style.” Darian Keith, Honor Guard member and historical interpreter will discuss historical treatments, including blood-letting and purging. “Often times the treatment was worse than the cure,” he said. New this year is a program on the camera obscura. Honor Guard member and historian, Norman Anderson, said that Lewis was gadget guru — outfitting the Corps with the latest in 19th century technology. “He brought a lot of what were considered pretty high tech tools at the time,” he said. Anderson said that Lewis lamented not bringing along this
The Lewis and Clark Festival, set for June 17-19, includes presentations by speakers in period dress. newfangled device, which was essentially just a “lens in a box,” on the journey. He went so far as to note the oversight in his journal on June 13, 1805. In addition to Sacagawea’s guidance, the Corps of Discovery relied heavily on the help of American Indians during their travels. This historical alliance is honored through the festival’s recreated Indian lodge encampment, where artisans exhibit pottery and beadwork, and offer fine arts and crafts for sale. At 6 p.m. the festival will host a Luminaria Walk, in partnership with the River’s Edge Trail and the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. The Walk is a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Trail. The Trail will be lit from Gibson Park and lead the way to West Bank Park along the Missouri River. The route will feature food, arts and crafts vendors, and a host of other activities. Saturday’s events are free and food concessions will be available for purchase, including Indian tacos, barbecue, and shaved ice.
Lewis and Clark enthusiasts will have the chance to partake in their own excursion, by boarding a bus and heading to the historic Gates of the Mountains on the Missouri River. Guests will depart from the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at 4 p.m. on June 19 for the Gates of the Mountains, where they will enjoy a meal at the marina, board a tour boat for a two-hour boat cruise to the Gates and back, and return to Great Falls by bus by 9:30 p.m. Cost for the day trip is $75 per person and $135 per couple. Seating is limited. Call the Portage Cache store for tickets at (406) 452-5661. For more information on all of the Lewis and Clark Festival American Indian dancers, drummers activities, visit www.lewisandand cultural presentations are clarkfoundation.org, or call the planned for the Lewis and Clark Lewis and Clark Foundation at Festival June 17-19 in Great Falls. (406) 452-5661.
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COWBOY CONFAB
Lewistown rolls out red carpet for cowboy poets in August MIKE FERGUSON mferguson@billingsgazette.com
The nation’s second-oldest cowboy poetry gathering comes to Lewistown Aug. 11-14, and organizers are touting it as a way for attendees to connect with their — or their ancestors’ — agricultural past. The 31st annual gathering — the cowboy poetry event in Elko, Nev., is a year older — begins at 1 p.m. Aug. 11 with most daytime events occurring at Fergus High School. “People whose families have worked the land want to connect with those real experiences,” said Karen Kuhlmann, the gathering coordinator. “The east slope of the Rockies was really the last frontier, and people of great compassion and courage worked their way here.” Not all were ranchers, of course. “There were some farmers, some suppliers to miners and some lumber barons. They came and they loved it, so they stayed,” she said. As its name suggests, the Montana Poetry Gathering and Western Music Rendezvous features far more than cowboys reciting their poetry, although that’s a large draw. Riders in the Sky, famous not only for their vocal style but their wacky wit, will perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Fergus Center for the Performing Arts, 1001 Casino Drive. “They’ve been here before. We have to roll out the red carpet for them, but we treat them right,” Kuhlmann said. “We have 880
COURTESY
Riders in the Sky will perform Aug. 13 during the 31st Annual Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Music Rendezvous in Lewistown. seats, and we almost always sell out that show.” Last year the gathering was inducted in the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame, which Kuhlmann called “a huge and prestigious honor.” And while the cowboy poets are the traditional draw, the gathering offers enough other entertainment and things to do to hold the attention of people who aren’t charmed by cowboy poetry. The gathering will feature more than 100 cowboy poets, musicians and artists. Poets and musicians will entertain throughout the gathering. By the time they’re done, they’ll have offered up more than 50 hours of poetry recital and music.
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One of the most meaningful events for Kuhlmann will occur following the Jam ‘n Dance set for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Pine Meadows Clubhouse, 320 Country Club Loop. At 10 p.m., a local Boy Scout troop will properly retire a ragged flag. The ceremony will include songs and the playing of taps. “It’s extremely moving and patriotic,” Kuhlmann said. At 12:50 p.m. on Aug. 13, actors will appear on Main Street to re-enact the 1884 shooting of Rattlesnake Jake, whom Kuhlmann described as “a horrible horse thief.” “We have guys who will ride in, and the sheriff and saloon girls will be there too,” she said.
Later that day, a reader’s theater version of “Wanted: One Wife” will be presented by the Judith Mountain Players. The gathering concludes following cowboy poetry church at the Celebration Community Fellowship Church, 361 W. Frontage Road. The service begins at 10 a.m. Aug. 14. Ticket prices for the gathering range from $10 for a three-day pass to hear poetry and music to $20 for general admission for the stage show Aug. 13 or the welcome barbecue and open mic show on Aug. 11 to $50 for a VIP pre-show meet and greet ticket to see Riders in the Sky. Visit www.montanapoetrygathering.com to learn more.
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CENTRAL COUNTRY CALENDAR CHINOOK
Blaine County Fair July 13-17 The Blaine County Fair features a carnival with games and 13 great rides, as well as pony rides, a petting zoo, pig wrestling and the rodeo. In addition, Pippi the Clown will be back to entertain the kids, and rising country star Cale Moon will provide music during the demolition derby Calcutta in between rodeo events. Call 406262-3185 for information. Bear Paw Roundup July 14-15 Chinook will be holding its annual Bear Paw Roundup PRCA Rodeo on new dates this year in conjunction with the Blaine County COURTESY LEWIS AND CLARK FOUNDATION Fair. Performances will be held at Two conjoined teepees form the stage for the Council Lodge Presentation 7 p.m. each night. Call 406-357- Area where presentations are planned every hour at the Lewis and Clark 3858 for information. Festival, June 17-19.
CONRAD
Whoop-Up Days and Rhubarb Festival June 3-5 Events kick off Friday with a Whoop-Day Golf Scramble and Cowboy Calcutta. Saturday events include the Lion’s Club pancake breakfast, the PMC Fun Run, vendors, the children’s parade, the general parade, the Lion’s Club Rodeo and live music. The rodeo will continue Sunday. Call 406271-7791 for information.
FORT BENTON
40th Annual Summer Celebration June 24-26 Fort Benton’s annual celebration of its heritage includes a parade, arts and crafts, tours, entertainment, a street dance, a fishing derby and fireworks. Call 406750-2918 for information.
GREAT FALLS
Lewis & Clark Festival June 17-19 Professional Native American dancers, a boating excursion to the gates of the Mountains, and a bluegrass concert are among the activities and sights in store for
visitors at this year’s annual Lewis and Clark Festival. Call 406-4525661. Riverside Voices July 1-Aug. 26 Riverside Voices is held at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at 7 p.m. on Friday evenings. The lively programs by guest presenters explore the history of Lewis and Clark and Montana history and culture on the banks of the Missouri. Call 406-7278733. Montana State Fair July 29-Aug. 6 The Montana State Fair includes the Big Sky Rodeo Roundup, a carnival, commercial vendors, competitive exhibits, concerts, food vendors and horse racing at the Montana ExpoPark. Call 406-7278900 for information.
HARLOWTON
Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Rodeo July 3-4 The celebration includes the rodeo, the annual fireman’s pancake breakfast, fireworks, the HHS alumni tourney and golfing events. Call 406-632-4694 for information.
HAVRE
Sounds on the Square June 15-Aug. 17 This evening summer concert series provides fun music each Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Town Square. Call 406-265-4383 for information.
LEWISTOWN
Pioneer Power Day Threshing Bee June 11-12 Held across from the Lewistown Airport, this event focuses on old-fashioned power. Highlights include a slow race featuring a parade of early model tractors and steam engines, a full blacksmith shop, an early 1900s shingle mill, old-time hay balers and rock crushers and various other demonstrations. This year’s show will also include a Track Ford tractor, few of which were produced. Call 406-535-8664 for information. Central Montana Fair July 27-30 Held at the Fergus County Fairgrounds, the fair includes a PRCA rodeo, motor sports, live music by headliner Travis Tritt and opening act Daryle Singletary. Call 406-
535-8841 for information. Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering & Western Music Rendezvous Aug. 11-14 This four-day cultural festival headquartered at Fergus High School is dedicated to celebrating and preserving the history, heritage and values of the cowboy lifestyle of the Upper Rocky Mountain West. An oral history of the American cowboy is shared through cowboy poetry and western music lyrics. Call 406-538-4575 for information. Montana Chokecherry Festival Sept. 10 The first Saturday after Labor Day, central Montana ushers in the return of fall with the annual chokecherry festival, which features an outdoor pancake breakfast on Main Street and Second Avenue, the chokecherry culinary contest, pit spitting contest, live entertainment, children’s activities, a 5K run/walk and 10K run, and arts and crafts booths galore. For more information, call 406-535-5436.
SHELBY
Marias Fair July 21-24 The Marias Fair includes a variety of events and shows, a kiddie parade July 21 with ice cream for all of the participants, and the general parade on July 24. Call 406-4342692 for information.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS
Red Ants Pants Music Festival July 28-31 Founded in 2011, the Red Ants Pants Music Festival just outside of city limits on the Jackson Ranch is designed to bring people together and raise funds for the Red Ants Pants Foundation. Thousands of music fans flock to White Sulphur Springs each year for this annual event, which includes kids’ activities, a beer garden, hay rides and other attractions in addition to its musical lineup. Call 406-2098135 for information.
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INSIDE THIS SECTION
M I S S O U R I R I V ER CO U N T RY
Great Plains Dinosaur Museum
Dino trail
Fishing opportunities
Calendar of events Visit Missouri River Country for Frontier Days, Red Bottom Celebration, Fort Peck Summer Theatre, Longest Dam Race, Milk River Gospel Jamboree, Big Muddy Motorcycle Rally and more.
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DIGGING HISTORY Malta museum plans dinosaur digs throughout summer MIKE KORDENBROCK Rediscover Montana
Travelers along Montana’s HiLine will find much more than simply fossils at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Malta, although skeptics can be assured, there are plenty of those on display. Though there are friendly, human staffers inside the building, outside, vibrantly colored fiberglass dinosaur sculptures greet visitors to the small-town museum. CASEY PAGE/REDISCOVER MONTANA Unfortunately the sculptures “Ralph,” is a sauropod displayed in the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station in Malta. aren’t available for piggy-back rides, but the museum does offer other more educational options 47 Years of Bringing Live Theatre to for active families. Northeastern Montana Head paleontologist Cary Show Times: Woodruff said the museum has Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 pm three dates for five-day adult diSundays 4:00 pm nosaur digs in June, July and August carried out in collaboration with the Two Medicine Dinosaur Center in Bynum. Older kids can tag along, but younger children THE LAST FIVE YEARS might also enjoy kid-specific June 3-June 12 digs, which Woodruff said can be booked on a more flexible MAN OF La MANCHA schedule. In addition to junior June 17-July 3 digs, youngsters can sign up for a 90-minute paleo-lab experi“MY WAY” ence where they can learn how to A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra clean, research and care for real July 8-July 24 “Roberta,” a fossils. All programs are led by brachylophosaurus, MARY POPPINS certified paleontologists. is displayed above July 29-August 14 Adult programs take place in in the Great Plains the Hell Creek Formation and Dinosaur Museum THE WOMAN IN BLACK feature “bone beds” or groupings and Field Station August 19-September 4 of bones from multiple species in Malta, shown that are 66 million years old, datReservations are encouraged at left. Box Office: 406-526-9943 ing them toward the end of the dinosaur era in North America. For Season Ticket Information
2016 Season
Please see History, 74
Call 406-228-9216 or Visit www.fortpecktheatre.org
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Step way back in time on Montana dinosaur trail Records calls Leonardo, a mummified BrachylophoHuman history has its Olduvai saurus found near Malta, the best-preserved dinoGorge. Dinosaur history has its saur anywhere. The first, Montana. And it all comes into sharp focus on the 15-stop Mon- largest, and one of the most complete Tyrantana Dinosaur Trail, which includes the Fort Peck Field Station nosaurus rex fossils in of Paleontology and the Garfield the world, respectively, have all been unCounty Museum in Jordan. earthed here and now Dinosaurs once roamed the entire earth, but few places com- reside at Fort Peck. A duckbill dinosaur’s bine the necessary ingredients for discoveries like Montana. The eggs from the ancient Bearpaw Sea are on display on the H. Earl state still has open spaces and boasts a wide variety of exposed Clack Museum in Havre. The motherly Maiasaura is Montana’s rocks from every geologic era in state fossil. the planet’s history. The result In all, the preserved remains is a potpourri of dinosaur types of at least 25 types of dinosaurs — from the land, air, and even a sea that once covered parts of the have been found across the state, and their actual fossils or replicas state. are the centerpieceof museums The Guinness Book of World
JEFF WELSCH AND SHERRY L. MOORE Backroads & Byways of Montana
About the book “Backroads & Byways of Montana” is now available at all major bookstores and online at Amazon.com. Ask for it at your local independent bookseller as well. in the tiniest of towns. The Dinosaur Field Station in Malta, Fort Peck Field Station of Paleontology, Garfield County Museum, Two Medicine Dinosaur Center in Bynum, and Makoshika Dinosaur Museum in Glendive all offer the opportunity to get your hands dusty on guided field digs. The Montana Dinosaur Trail is a marketing effort by the state to attract tourists to places that
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The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum features a 3-D printed replica of the skeleton of “mummy dinosaur” Leonardo, a duck-billed dinosaur found in Malta, which the museum sends on tours around the nation.
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Children can explore the Judith River Formation, a region with 70 to 80 million-year-old fossils, many of hadrosaurs, commonly known as duckbilled dinosaurs but some of species similar to the Tyrannosaurus Rex and triceratops species. Back at the museum, real dinosaur bones are on display with only two exceptions, something which Woodruff said sets the museum apart from others. One of those exceptions at the Great Plains Museum is a 3-D printed replica of the skeleton of “mummy dinosaur” Leonardo, a duck-billed dinosaur found in Malta, which the museum sends on tours around the nation. An unofficial term, “mummy dinosaurs” are dinosaurs that were buried quickly after their deaths, allowing the preservation of impressions of their skin, and in some instances
don’t see many visitors and often struggle economically. But the exhibits are impressive and the concept isn’t gimmicky, other than perhaps the Montana Dinosaur Trail “passport” in which stamps from all 15 sites results in a free T-shirt. Reprinted with permission from “Backroads & Byways of Montana: Drives, Day Trips and Weekend Excursions,” 2nd Edition, by Jeff Welsch and Sherry L. Moore, The Countryman Press 2016. actual skin. A specialist in sauropods or long-necked dinosaurs, Woodruff said the museum’s sauropod Ralph is “near and dear” to his heart. Unsure but interested? The museum’s interior can be toured on Google Street View, a project undertaken by 360-degree and virtual reality video and photography business InsideMT in the summer of 2015. If a day at the museum — or dig site — stirs up a prehistoric hunger, Woodruff, originally from Virginia, recommends local barbecue joint Ray J’s BBQ, which he said stacks up to some of the North Carolina barbecue he grew up eating. For more information about the museum or to register for digs or the junior lab experience, call 406-654-5300, email dinosaur@itstriangle.com or visit www.greatplainsdinosaurs.org. The museum opens the first week of May and closes in September, but will be open for Labor Day Weekend.
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Wet a line in Missouri River Country MISSOURI RIVER COUNTRY
I f you are an angler, Montana’s Missouri River Country in northeast Montana is heaven on earth. This is the land where men built a dam across the mighty Missouri River creating the largest body of water in Montana, known as Fort Peck Reservoir. More than 50 different species of fish inhabit Fort Peck Lake and they all have room to grow. The walleye fishing is world-class and there are opportunities for catching lake trout, Chinook salmon, northern pike, sauger and smallmouth bass. Ling, prehistoric paddlefish and two species of sturgeon also inhabit Fort Peck Lake. Fort Peck’s diverse fishery continues to gain nationwide recognition. Stories of five-pound bass, 10-pound walleye and 20-pound northern pike are not uncommon. To accommodate anglers, Fort Peck Lake has three marinas and nine boat ramp/access areas that are scattered along the reservoir, but as large as Fort Peck is at 1,600 miles of shoreline, those seeking solitude and quiet waters can easily find them here. The world-class walleye can be found throughout the lake, but experienced anglers sug-
gest focusing efforts on the bays and points of the lake and Big Dry Arm. Trolling with bottom bouncers and spinners tipped with minnows, leaches or night-crawlers, or using crank bait and jigs are advised as successful approaches for luring walleye to your hook. Expect the walleye to be between two and four pounds, but be prepared for eight to ten pounders. Anglers looking for a fight may want to target the smallmouth bass. They are one of the scrappiest freshwater game fish that can be caught anywhere on the lake. They will bite on jigs, crank bait, spinners or flies. Look for them near rocky points and islands between Devil’s Creek and Hell Creek. Most of the bass are between two and three pounds, but it’s not uncommon to find a five pounder and if you do be prepared for a fight on your hands. Another favorite is northern pike. Expect four to eight pound pike and hope for one of the 20 pounders in all parts of the lake. Lake trout are abundant in the spring and fall and Chinook salmon are continuing to be stocked. In the late summer and fall of 2015 the salmon were an awesome catch. Downriggers
MISSOURI RIVER COUNTRY
There are plenty of places to fish from shore or in a boat in Missouri River Country. are recommended on the face of the dam in deep water. Snagging season for salmon starts Oct. 1st when they are getting ready to spawn. They head for the Fort Peck Marina where they were originally released. The Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers in Northeast Montana are also thick with possibilities, including the chance to land a more than 100-pound paddlefish. On the Yellowstone, near Sidney, and the Missouri between the Fred Robinson Bridge and Fort Peck Reservoir you can find enormous paddlefish. Fishing for these require an additional state license, big treble hooks, heavy weights and a heavy rod. Nelson Reservoir near Malta is home to record-setting pike, yellow perch and walleye. In open water or on the ice Nelson Reser-
voir can produce some awesome fish and send you home with stories to tell about your experience in Northeast Montana. A Montana fishing license is required for all fishing and a secondary special license is required for paddlefish. Two-day and ten-day fishing licenses are available for nonresidents. Before heading out on the water, check the Montana fishing and boating regulations at: www.fwp.mt.gov/ fishing Other contact information for areas to fish, outfitters and guides contact: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (406-228-3700) and the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge (406-538-8706). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Fort Peck (406-526-3411) can provide additional information on Fort Peck Lake.
what the Old West was like and ride the same trails that people did years ago. The weekend includes food, entertainment and hay for horses. Contact 406-790-0600 for more information.
Timers,” this long standing tradition includes a parade, games, dances, live music, a play, food, crafts and much more.
MISSOURI RIVER COUNTRY EVENTS CULBERTSON
Frontier Days June 10-11 For more than 40 years, rodeos, parades, community follies and other entertainment has highlighted The Culbertson Saddle Club’s event. Evening rodeos can be viewed from the grounds’ unique tiered parking. Parades start at noon both days. 406-7875271.
Roosevelt County Fair Aug. 10-12 This free event features a variety of family activities, including youth livestock auction and shows, rib cook-off, exhibits, free concert and more. Wagon Train Sept. 3-5 Come out on Labor Day weekend as the Culbertson Saddle Club presents Wagon Train. Come see
FRAZER
Red Bottom Celebration June 17-19 Old Timers Reunion and An annual powwow that started Summer Festival in the early 1900s, Red Bottom July 16-17 A weekend to celebrate “Old Please see Events, 76
FAIRVIEW
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Events
SCOBEY
Continued from 75 celebrates Native American culture. The celebration is open to all. Come explore traditions with dance, food, crafts and more.
FORT PECK
Fort Peck Summer Theatre June 3-Sept. 4 Built as a movie house in 1934 to entertain the people who came to work during the construction of one of the world’s largest earthfilled dams, the theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and now hosts professional actors, technicians and regional performers of all ages. This season includes “The Last Five Years” June 3-June 12; “Man of La Mancha” June 17-July 3; “My Way: A Tribute To Frank Sinatra ” July 8-24; “Mary Poppins” July 29Aug. 14; “The Woman in Black” Aug. 19- Sept. 4. Performances start at 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays. 406228-9216 or fortpecktheatre.org. Longest Dam Race June 18 Each year, the world’s largest hydraulically earth-filled dam sets the scene for the area’s biggest race. Run a 10K course rising 350 feet over two miles, run or walk a flat 5K course on the dam or a 1-mile paved course through Kiwanis Park, or ride a flat 10-mile bike route. This year marks the event’s 22nd anniversary. Entry is $25 and includes free T-shirt. 406228-2222 or glasgowchamber.net. Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament July 7-9 This catch-and-release tournament at Fort Peck Lake attracts anglers from 18 states and Canada. Over $95,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded. A public fish fry, Guys and Gals Tournament and youth tournament are also part of Eastern Montana’s largest fishing event. 406228-2222 or montanagovcup.com.
GLASGOW
Catfish Classic June 3-4
REDISCOVER MONTANA
Missouri River Country Pioneer Days in Scobey, June 24-26, features the Dirty Shame Show, five family-oriented internationally-known variety shows starring the Dirty Shame Belles and Dixieland Band. Annually held on the first weekend in June, the Catfish Classic is the premier catfish tournament. Events take place at night. With over $5000 in prizes, the Catfish Classic is a popular area event and fills up fast. Montanacats.com. July 27-30 Northeast Montana Fair, concert, rodeo and derby
HINSDALE
Milk River Days and Cowboys Rodeo July 3 A rodeo and free street dance in the heart of downtown Hinsdale.
MALTA
This annual show of classic cars, trucks and motorcycles takes place the first Saturday of June and brings entrants from Montana, North Dakota and Canada. A craft show and food vendors are also at the fairgrounds, where the public can view the show at no cost. Later, participants drive a parade around town and 45-mile fun run to Medicine Lake for a banquet. The show is open to the public at 9 a.m. Big Muddy Motorcycle Rally June 5 This rally is open to everyone and has it all: fun runs, live music, food. Come down and enjoy a night of entertainment. Sheridan County Fair and PRCA Rodeo July 22-23 Fun runs, entertainment, music, rodeo and more! The Sheridan County Fair has something for everyone.
First State Bank Car Show and Drag Race June 4-5 A spectacular car show set in downtown Malta followed by a face-paced drag race at PCMS Dragraces at Hi-Line Dragstrip. Milk River Gospel Jamboree June 24-26 POPLAR Held annual on the last weekend Wild West Days June 10-12 of June, this jamboree aims to bring Gospel music to Montana. Come On June 10, Kids Day activities experience the power of music with begin at 10 a.m. with bike races, bands for coming from various part contests and more downtown. of the country. Mrgjamboree.org. On June 11-12, festivities include a parade downtown at noon, roPLENTYWOOD deo at the rodeo grounds at 2 p.m. Annual Car and Motorcycle Arts and crafts, food and evening Show activities and fun round out the June 4 weekend.
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Pioneer Days June 24-26 Pioneer Days features the Dirty Shame Show, five family-oriented internationally-known variety shows starring the Dirty Shame Belles and Dixieland Band. Other events include a “thresherman’s breakfast” of pancakes and sausage prepared in the old cook-cars, an antique car and tractor parade, children’s street games and an art show. The non-alcoholic Dirty Shame Saloon offers cool drinks, popcorn and entertainment all day. Daniels County Museum & Pioneer Town. 406-487-5965 or scobeymt.com.
SHERIDAN COUNTY
Prairie Fest June 25-July 4 Throughout Sheridan County, towns including Westby, Plentywood and Medicine Lake celebrate the area and its way of life with events and activities. For details, contact the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce. 406-765-8500.
SIDNEY
Sunrise Festival of the Arts July 8-9 Thousands of people visit scenic Veterans Memorial Park for one of Eastern Montana’s premier events, featuring displays by artists and crafters from several states, “Writers Row,” free entertainment, prizes, food and kids’ activities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 406-433-1916 or sidneymt.com. Aug. 3-6 Sidney-Richland County Fair and Rodeo.
WOLF POINT
Wolf Point Art in the Park July 9 Centered in Sherman Park, Art in the Park provides a day full of art, vendors and fun. Wolf Point Wild Horse Stampede and Parade July 7-9 A two-day celebration including the annual stampede, several parades and more. Wadopana Powwow Aug. 5-7
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Presenting Sponsors
Major Sponsors
June 18, 2016 5K ♥ 10K ♥ 2 mile health walk ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
sports performance T-shirt finish at dehler park montana active life festival (post race) RRCA 10K western regional championship. free team category and picture
Community Sponsors
Montana Active Life Festival Sponsors
registration and information
heartandsolerace.org 406.254.7426 Proceeds Benefit
Managed by
Contributing Sponsors Albertsons • American Water Technologies AMP – Athletic Medicine & Performance • Billings Parks & Recreation Billings Mustangs • Meadow Gold • Yellowstone Amateur Radio Service Montana State University Billings Montana’s SweetHeart Baking Company Qdoba • Rebel River Creative • Visit Billings
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