Bigfork's 125th

2026 marks Bigfork’s 125th anniversary—and we’re planning a celebration on Sunday, May 17th, 2026 to honor the rich history and people who have shaped our town.

Here is the Tentative Days schedule of events:  CHECK BACK AGAIN TO SEE THE FINAL SCHEDULE!

Bigfork 125 Celebration 

Theme: “”Bigfork 125: Rooted in History, Thriving in Community””

Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026
Location: Downtown Bigfork, MT
Theme: Celebrating 125 Years Since the Platting of Bigfork by the Sliter Family (1901–2026)

GOALS

• Celebrate the Sliter family’s role in founding Bigfork
• Acknowledge Indigenous and settler history with respect and collaboration
• Engage the entire community through art, storytelling, food, and music
• Highlight local businesses and historic buildings
• Launch a long-term interactive Bigfork history exhibit or digital archive

EVENT SCHEDULE (DRAFT)

Morning: “Bigfork Back Then”

• 9:00 AM - Fun Run @ Bigfork Inn Courtyard- Chamber -run
  • Welcome by Bigfork Historical Committee & Sliter Family Descendants
  • Land acknowledgment with CSKT representation
  • Proclamation by local government declaring Bigfork 125th Anniversary Day
• 10:00 AM - Historical Walking Tour (Hosted by BACC + Students)
  • Stops include: Bigfork Inn (former Sliter Hotel), Bridge Street, original dock site, old post office, and early homesteads
  • Printed and app-based guide with oral history recordings

Midday: “Community Heritage Picnic” 

• NOON PM - Community Picnic & Live Music @????
  • Vintage games (sack races, tug of war)
  • Music

Afternoon: “Art, Memory & Marketplace”

• 1:00–3:00 PM - Historical Artisan Market @ Electric Avenue Businesses & Open house at BACC
  • Youth "Time Travelers" Art Show @ BACC Makerspace: Imagining Bigfork Then & Now
  • Oral history booth: locals record 5-minute “My Bigfork Story” segments
• TBA  - Ticket event house / Lake Baked fundraiser at the Bigfork Inn
  • Hosted by the Brooks, the purpose of this wonderful event is to share the newly and beautifully rennovated Bigfork INN as well as support the efforts to fund the "Save Lake Baked PROPERTY"
• 7:00pm Rick Trembeth at the Methodist Church Wildfire in the NW

Key Partners

• Bigfork Inn / Michael & Kelly  Brooks – Host location & historic preservation partner
• Bigfork Art & Cultural Center – Lead historical content, oral history recordings, art show
• CSKT Tribal Historic Preservation Office – Land acknowledgment and cultural inclusion
• Sliters Hardware and Lumberyard-Nikki, Everitt, Andrea, Andrew, Bill