Festival of the Arts hits Bigfork Saturday

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

It's Bigfork's biggest bash, and it's far from over the hill, even though the annul Bigfork Festival of the Arts celebrates 30 years this weekend on Electric Avenue.

Running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday August 2-3, the festival will boast 137 booths this year, and co-chair Donna Lawson said there will be more food vendors than ever.

"We're going to have generators to make sure no one loses electricity," she said, indicating the huge spike in demand with so many kitchens coming to town.

And aside from the artistic and culinary delights, there will be live music and a special presentation by the AscenDance Project (see sidebar, A2) in front of Brookie's Cookies and Mountain Mike's on Osborne Avenue.

Since the festival takes over downtown, parking is always a struggle — and is made worse this summer because of construction at Bigfork Schools. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days accesses to downtown by Flathead Bank at the corner of Grand Avenue and Highway 35 and by Western States Insurance at Bridge Street and the highway will be blocked.

Parking will be available at Bethany Lutheran Church just south of the Highway 35 bridge over Bigfork Bay, at Potoczny Field just East of the Post Office and, new for this year, at the Ponderosa Boat Club subdivision, just past the Post Office on Holt Drive.

Lawson said shuttles will run continuously starting at 9 a.m. from all three locations and will continue until the event closes down each day.

Handicapped parking will be available downtown.

The Festival of the Arts is one of the Village's premier events, drawing craftsmen and artisans from around the region to show off their wares. Lawson said this year's event will feature plenty of familiar faces, but also a number of new artists who will make their first appearance at the festival.

Volunteers are still needed to help with parking and to staff the information booths downtown. Anyone insterested in helping out with a two-hour shift doing either should contact the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce at 837-5888.

Schedule of Entertainment:

Saturday, August 2

10-11 a.m. - Paul Sebesta

11a.m. -12 p.m. - Denise Sterhan

12-1 p.m. - Thom Harris

1-2 p.m. - Left Over Biscuits

2-3 p.m. - Jae Hatt

3-4 p.m. - TBA

4-5 p.m. - Blue Smoke

Sunday, August 3

10-11 a.m. - Paul Sebesta

11 a.m.-12 p.m. - Robin Gough

12-1 p.m. - Folding Mr Lincoln

1-2 p.m. - Robin & Friends

2-3 p.m. - Lucas Yatch & Dremma Waller

3-4 p.m. - Old Time Fiddlers

4-5 p.m. - Thom Harris