Brews and outdoor fun on tap for Great Bear Festival Saturday

The eighth Annual Great Bear Festival is back this summer in a new location.  
The event, hosted by Kalispell Noon Rotary and Daybreak Rotary clubs, will take place at the O’Shaughnessy Outdoor Amphitheater at the Wachholz College Center on Saturday, Aug. 16. The event runs from 3 to 8 p.m. 

This year blends all of the Great Bear Festival’s beloved traditions with fresh, family-friendly fun, and every dollar of profit goes right back into the community, supporting local nonprofits, youth programs, and Rotary service projects.

Brews enthusiasts will enjoy upwards of 15 breweries and cideries, plus wine samples, complemented by delicious local food trucks. The amphitheater stage will buzz with live performances throughout the afternoon, capped off with a golden-hour headline set from the Mike Murray Duo from 6-8 p.m. 

The Great Bear Festival is a community day out for everyone. Kids and families can join in a basketball free-throw contest, try lawn games, visit with adoptable puppies from Northwest Montana Humane Society, browse a mini-art fair, and get creative in the kids’ art corner. The expansive amphitheater lawn offers plenty of space to relax, picnic, and play. 

 All proceeds power Rotary’s long-standing service programs, from Rotary Basketball (thousands of kids for over 30 years) to youth leadership camp (RYLA), high school scholarships, and the new Ashley Creek Park inclusive playground. Rotary also provides grants and donations to area nonprofits and supports international projects, including clean water and sanitation initiatives. 

Tickets for adults over age 21 are $25 and include four drink tickets. Additional drink tickets are $5 each.  

Tickets for ages 17-20 are $25 and include access to lawn games and live music. Children through age 16 are free.  

Select activities are $5 per child or free for children wearing a Rotary basketball T-shirt.  

 Tickets are online at greatbearfestival.com or at the event entrance.