Subscribe
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events
Menu
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events

Big Sky CAREavan celebrates closing day

in Arts & Entertainment
Big Sky CAREavan celebrates closing day

The Big Sky CAREavan was a mix of lively music, fun costumes and inspirational messaging. This van had banners on each side as well as one on top in order to be visible in the drone shots. PHOTOS BY BELLA BUTLER

The Big Sky CAREavan was a mix of lively music, fun costumes and inspirational messaging. This van had banners on each side as well as one on top in order to be visible in the drone shots. PHOTOS BY BELLA BUTLER
Outlaw Partnersby Outlaw Partners
April 24, 2020

By Bella Butler COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT EDITOR

BIG SKY—On April 19, the community of Big Sky celebrated the originally scheduled Big Sky Resort closing day in a creative way. The annual staple event, pond skim, did not occur, nor were there spring turns on the sunny south face of Lone Mountain—but a party was had, nonetheless.

A brigade of colorfully decorated cars—a rough count estimated upwards of 200—filled with people clothed in their finest costumes snaked through Town Center and up the mountain in a vibrant show of resilience and community spirit. Aptly dubbed the Big Sky CAREavan, the event was a heartfelt hour of connection.

Article Inline Ad Article Inline Ad Article Inline Ad
From dirtbag royalty regalia to fuzzy animal families, CAREavan participants showed up decked out in their best closing day outfits.

The parade moved to a playlist, curated by Arts Council of Big Sky Executive Director Brian Hurlbut and broadcasted in each vehicle via The Eagle 104.7 FM radio station. Between jovial songs like the Beastie Boys’ “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!),” familiar local voices came across the radio waves to address the community on behalf of businesses and organizations, encouraging people to donate to Big Sky Relief. A Big Sky Relief fundraising goal has been set in accordance with the Big Sky CAREavan of $11,166, symbolic of the elevation of Lone Mountain.

The Big Sky CAREavan paraded from Town Center to Big Sky Resort while playing a broadcast of local voices and lively music.

As families and friends followed one another up the winding road, spectators watched from pullouts, waving and blowing kisses. The parade made a detour through the parking lot of the Bozeman Health Big Sky Medical Center, where an eruption of cheers and honking serenaded health care workers standing in the parking lot.

Up at Big Sky Resort, cars filtered through a makeshift photo booth, where photographer Kirby Grubaugh captured sweet and silly moments. A donation of $25 is suggested to obtain Grubaugh’s photos from the Big Sky Relief website.

“It blew my mind how much energy people put into decorating their cars and getting dressed up,” said Tallie Lancey, the event’s organizer. “I was completely overwhelmed with positivity at the beginning of the parade watching so many smiling families listening to the radio.”

The parade was a line of cars, trucks, fire engines and less conventional vehicles.

Lancey is now hoping other community members will work on bringing creative community celebrations to fruition. “All it takes is a little bit of vision and a lot of gumption,” she remarked.

To cap off the excitement, participants were encouraged to return to their homes and tune into local musician Brian Stumpf’s weekly live show “Stumpy Sundays.” Despite the economic and cultural disappointment of Big Sky Resort’s early closure, the Big Sky CAREavan unified a community in celebration. It was a display of fight—the fight for the right to party.

Outlaw Realty Outlaw Realty
Outlaw Realty
ADVERTISEMENT

Listen

Hoary Marmot Podcast

Joe Borden & Michele Veale Borden

Lastest Episode
See More Episodes

Upcoming Events

May 20
5:30 pm - 8:30 pm Event Series

American Legion Bingo

May 21
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

“On the Face of it,” an original Big Sky Community production

May 23
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Trivia at Waypoint

May 27
5:30 pm - 8:30 pm Event Series

American Legion Bingo

May 30
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Trivia at the Waypoint

View Calendar
Event Calendar

Related Posts

Montana Media Act signed by governor, supports Montana filmmakers
Arts & Entertainment

Montana Media Act signed by governor, supports Montana filmmakers

May 16, 2025
Big Sky Community Theater brings first-ever original production to the stage
Arts & Entertainment

Big Sky Community Theater brings first-ever original production to the stage

May 12, 2025
Six bands to perform for Music on Main summer series 
Arts & Entertainment

Six bands to perform for Music on Main summer series 

May 1, 2025
The Deadly Daisies Crowned 2025 Beast of Bozeman
Arts & Entertainment

The Deadly Daisies Crowned 2025 Beast of Bozeman

April 30, 2025

An Outlaw Partners Publication

Facebook-f Instagram X-twitter Youtube

Explore Big Sky

  • About/Contact
  • Advertise
  • Publications
  • Subscriptions
  • Podcast
  • Submissions

Outlaw Brands

  • Big Sky PBR
  • Hey Bear
  • Mountain Outlaw
  • Outlaw Partners
  • Outlaw Realty
  • Plan Yellowstone

Copyright © 2025 Explore Big Sky | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Your Privacy Choices

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Yellowstone
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Real Estate
  • Events

©2024 Outlaw Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Explore Big Sky Logo
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events
Subscribe
Facebook X-twitter Instagram Youtube