The Bigfork Festival of the Arts is an annual, juried art festival held the first weekend of August in downtown Bigfork, Montana. The festival features a wide range of fine art and handmade crafts, plus food vendors, live music, and family-friendly entertainment on Saturday and Sunday. More than 100 booths fill the village, and exhibitors often call it a highlight of the summer show season, and visitors love the chance to meet artists and enjoy Bigfork at its busiest and best.
It was May of 1978 when the idea of a Bigfork Festival of the Arts was first proposed. As so often happens in Bigfork, it started with a conversation on Electric Ave. between members of the community. The first festival was held on the first weekend in August of 1978. It was a resounding success despite the committee’s inexperience. The feedback from the community was very positive and the group agreed that it should become an annual event. Elna Darrow served as festival chair for several years. In 2005, a committee of the Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce took over leadership of the event with proceeds being earmarked for the advertising and marketing Bigfork.
Over the years, the festival has grown steadily to its current size. In 2023, there were more than 145 booths representing a wide variety of arts and crafts by nationally and internationally recognized artists and craftsmen. Festival attendance is estimated to be more than 6,000.
The Bigfork Festival of the Arts will be Saturday and Sunday 9am-4:30pm. There will be free shuttle service from the intersection of Highway 35 and 82 as well as some parking at the Bigfork School parking, on Electric Avenue (via Bridge Street) and Bethany Lutheran Church on Highway 35. There will be limited handicap parking at the UPS Store on Grand Avenue, a decal is required.
Artist Applications
If you would like to volunteer for the event
