Bigfork Promotion Group expanding efforts

It’s onward and upward for the Bigfork Promotion Group.

The organization that promotes Bigfork was started in 2010 and continues making progress, the group’s president Ry Keller said.

The organization has three billboards set up around western Montana promoting the town with such slogans as, “Big Sky. Big Lake. Bigfork!”

The group has utilized six different locations, including one east of Columbia Falls, three in Kalispell, and one each in St. Ignatius and northwest of Missoula on U.S. 93.

A voluntary 1 percent assessment that is levied on customers of three Bigfork business produced $12,000 of the group’s $26,000 budget in 2013, Keller said. The businesses include: Bigfork Cottages, Flathead Lake Lodge and Keller’s own Valley Maintenance. The assessment is added to the bills of these businesses. “Some people choose not to pay it and some pay it,” Keller said.

When asked if the assessment is working, Keller replied, “Big time. Ours is modeled after the Whitefish tourist program.” Other members pay a yearly membership fee ranging from $250 to $1,000. Others can join as an associate for $50 a year, but do not get voting privileges or get to sit on the board.

In addition to the billboards, the group gives away postcards. “We’ve given away 10,000 post cards so far,” Keller said.

Bigfork Promotion Group has given grants to local events such as the Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation, $2,500, and an annual fundraiser for the Bigfork Museum, $500.

Event advertising is printed in local papers, and the group is promoting Bigfork “Before and After” packages. These attempt to attract patrons of events to area businesses before and after an event. An upcoming example is the Valentine’s weekend concert at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts featuring Diego Figueiredo and Chuck Suchy.

“I think we’ve done really well with the limited budget we have,” Keller said.

The fourth-generation Bigfork native said the group plans on expanding into other areas in the future. These include radio advertising and supporting events like “Chalk ‘n Rock,” a new event slated for September that will bring chalk art drawn on the streets of Bigfork and a series of musical groups.

The group has $14,500 in the bank and is looking to attract new members. Twenty were added last year, which brings the total membership to 43. “We have some individual members, but most are businesses,” Keller said.

He notes that the Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce has 350 members, 180 of which are based in Bigfork, so there is a potential to attract more members.

For more information, go online at bigforktouristpromotion.com or call the chamber at 837-5888.