EBS STAFF
A new event will hit the slopes of Big Sky this summer, tucked back into the forest rather than on the snow. Moonlight Basin, the ski-in, ski-out community at Big Sky Resort, will host the inaugural Moonlight MusicFest on Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18, at Moonlight’s Madison Village at the base of Big Sky Resort.
The festival features two days of diverse national and local talent, surrounded by 360-degree mountain views. On Friday, the local band Hawthorne Roots will perform along with Mission Temple Fireworks Revival, Paul Thorn & Band and the Blind Boys of Alabama. Headlining the night will be the Wood Brothers, and Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers.
On Saturday, national bands The Sufferers, Anderson East, Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Sam Bush Band will play in addition to local artists, The Well. To conclude the event, nationally renowned Grace Potter will perform as the final act.
“The lineup is the perfect start for an annual event, with many well-known national artists and some local bands as well,” said Tom Garnsey of Vootie Productions in a press release. Bozeman’s Vootie Productions, producer of the summer music festivals at Grand Targhee Resort, has partnered with several Big Sky companies to bring the event to Big Sky.
“The setting is intimate and welcoming, with stunning views in every direction at the base of Lone Peak, among Moonlight’s incredible wilderness area,” Garnsey added. “To have a weekend in Big Sky with this caliber of music, and with all the outdoor pursuits available, it’s going to put the event on the list of must-go festivals.”
A vender fair will be setup throughout the weekend, complete with arts and crafts, family events, food and a beer garden.
Lodging will be available at Big Sky Resort and there will also be designated camping sites for tents, campers and RVs.
To kick off the weekend, Lone Mountain Land Company and The Big Sky Real Estate Company have partnered to host the weekly Music in the Mountains concert on Thursday, Aug. 16, at Center Stage in Big Sky Town Center Park. The show will feature opener The Two Bit Franks, followed by the Jeff Austin Band.
Tickets for Moonlight MusicFest go on sale May 15 at 8 a.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit moonlightmusicfest.com.
