12 Apr 2012
With a natural landscape as stunning as Montana's, it's no wonder this rich western environment serves as fertile soil for arts, culture, and offbeat festivals to flourish. Denizens and savvy travelers alike move outside in the summer and early autumn to revel under the Big Sky's inspiring orb.
Here is a sampler of true grit, Montana-crafted celebrations to help you and your readers tap into the cultural pulse of this powerful place:
June 15-17, 2012 :Frazer, MT Everyone is invited to this 100+ year-old annual powwow on the Fort Peck Reservation. Native culture and tradition are celebrated through dancing, food, crafts and fellowship with one another.
Custer’s Last Stand Reenactment
June 22-24, 2012: Hardin, MT Come face to face with history at Custer’s Last Stand Reenactment, telling the tale of the Battle of the Little Bighorn from the Indian perspective.
July 26-29, 2012: White Sulphur Springs, MT Connect with good folks and dance your pants off in the best cow pasture turned concert venue around! 2012 lineup includes Emmylou Harris and Mary Chapin Carpenter. (All profits from the festival benefit the Red Ants Pants Foundation, a non-profit organization in support of women's leadership, working family farms and ranches, and rural communities.)
August 16-19, 2012: Helena, MT Painters, potters, sculptors and creators of all ilks converge on the historic streets of Helena for a left-brained celebration of all things inspired. The Rendezvous has been a champion of Montana history as well as fostering the state's best new contemporary art for over 30 years.
August 15-20, 2012: Crow Agency, MT Celebrate with original Big Sky natives and get a glimpse into the heritage and history of Montana's First Nations. The Crow Fair is one of the largest modern day Native American encampments in the U.S. and is the largest gathering for the Apsáalooke Nation. In addition to the sacred powwow, there are daily parades and an all-Indian rodeo.
August 25 - 26, 2012: Missoula, MT Do as the locals by throwing your kayak on your bike trailer and pedaling down to Caras Park in downtown Missoula. Enjoy two days of foot-stompin' music, locally grown foods and a few laps on Brennan's Wave (a man-made whitewater park on the adjacent Clark Fork River). Additionally there are artist exhibits and children's activities to keep the big and little kids grinning.
September 7-9, 2012: Libby, MT Grab your favorite Scandinavian (and rucksack of lutefisk) and head to the spirited burg of Libby, nestled in the Cabinet Mountains next to the rushing Kootenai River. Libby celebrates its Scandinavian heritage with a Fjord Horse Show, a parade and a healthy dose of lefsa. Uffda!
September 8, 2012: Flathead Lake, MT
Catch the wave of the 8th fastest growing sport in the world-Dragon boat racing! Teams of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steer person race in colorful, ornate, 46-foot-long dragon boats similar to the Chinese watercraft used for the past 2,300 years. All ages, skill levels and physiques can paddle, making it the ultimate team building sport, requiring synchronicity and finesse more than power to win.
September 9, 2012:Utica, MT
Fine art meets fine ranching. Inspired local agrarians create massive hay-bale sculptures with titles like: Cook-Hay Monster, Hay-lery Clinton and Har-Hay Davidson. Tour the 20-mile exhibit through central Montana's amber landscape.
To see a complete listing of Montana events, log on to www.visitmt.com
For more information, your press contact is:
Donnie Sexton
