36th annual Festival of Arts this weekend

Artistic talent will be abundant in Bigfork this weekend.

The 36th annual Bigfork Festival of the Arts is taking over Bigfork Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Over 120 artists from all over the country will set up, displaying everything from photography, pottery, clothing and jewelry.

“We get participants all the way from Montana to Miami,” organizer Donna Lawson said.

Sherry Jones of Polson, who owns Dancing Bear Designs, is one of the artists that will be attending.

She has set up at the Bigfork Festival of the Arts over the last 10 years. It’s one of the about five shows she’ll do in a summer, showcasing her handcrafted jewelry.

“Bigfork in particular has a great following of participants who come every year. They like the quality of work of the artists,” she said. “It’s just one of those great events in Montana summer that brings out tourists as well as locals.”

Musicians will provide live music for the festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Notable performers are the Leftover Biscuits on Saturday and Robin Gough on Sunday.

The festival is juried, so only select vendors and artists are accepted to set up a booth, Lawson said. This year there will be slightly fewer booths to help accommodate more parking for disabled people and reduce congestion. There will be more parking spots for people with disabilities in front of the UPS store on Grand Avenue and by the steel bridge.

Shuttles will run from Bethany Lutheran Church, Bigfork High School and Potozcny Field on Holt Drive, where additional parking will be available.

The festival usually draws about 6,000 people to Bigfork, and dozens of community volunteers to run. The first Festival of the Arts was in 1978 as a fundraiser to build the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts. Festival proceeds are now earmarked for marketing and advertising for the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce.