Blues festival marks 10 years

This year will mark 10 years for the Big Sky Blues Festival. The festival will be held in at Pilgrim Creek Park in Noxon next weekend, August 2-4. The festival highlights the blues style of music and all that makes the genre so loved. This year, the vendors will include several newcomers, great food, fun and lots of opportunities for arts and crafts.

The festival will hit the ground running Friday night with a hamburger and hot dog barbecue and live music. The barbecue is free to those who buy a weekend pass, or you can purchase individual day passes. The barbecue begins at 5 p.m. and the live music starts at 6 p.m. with Robin Barrett featuring Tiphony Dames. The Coyote Kings with special guest Diego Romero are also set to perform on Friday as well as Cros with special guest drummer Richard Sabol. Rounding off Friday’s set list will be Randy McAllister, the Friday night jam will continue “till the cows come home,” said festival board member Brenda Owens.

Some of the artists that are performing at the festival will be putting on music education workshops for children and teens at no cost. The workshops are designed to foster an appreciation for blues music in youth and have been a highlight of the festival. 

“The overall goal and purpose of the festival and the workshops is to empower kids and adults through blues music. It is part of our heritage and it’s exciting to watch the youth experience that,” Owens said. 

This year the workshops will include instruction on percussion, vocals, harmonica, bass guitar and slide guitar. The workshops are 9-11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Last year youth were each given a harmonica that was donated to the festival for them to take home so they could continue to practicing on their own. Those returning for the workshop are encouraged to bring the instruments they received from past festivals or ones they have at home. During recent years the percussion workshop has featured bongos that were also donated so each participant can have a hands-on experience.  

The workshops are put on for everyone of all ages to enjoy. “We even have some adults sit in on the workshops. They all have a lot of fun,” Owens said. 

At Sunday’s closing of the festival, there is an all-star jam where anyone can join on the stage. This is a great opportunity for youth to show off what they learned from the workshops. No one is turned away who wants to join and the all-star jam has always been a crowd favorite, according to Owens.     

This year one change is all the artists are performing on the main stage. In the past, some artists performed under the pavilion. Saturday’s set list is also packed with talents coming from all over the northwest. The music starts at noon and goes till dark with Bryan Warhall, Franco Palleta and the Stingers, Stacy Jones Band, Step Brothers, Amanda Fish and Jimmy D. Lane. Sunday’s performers include Kevin Van Dort and Mark DuFresne.

The Big Sky Blues Festival is a nonprofit organization and has a history of supporting the music programs in the local schools. A portion of profits from the event goes back into the community, supporting students and ensuring that more top-notch artists come to perform at the festival. There will also be a raffle for canvas prints and gift baskets. For more information about the festival, contact Lorne Riddell at (406) 370-1288 or visit http://www.bigskyblues.com.