Due to the events of the Rice Ridge Fire, the Norman Maclean Festival is relocating the Seeley Lake events scheduled for the first two days of the Festival to Missoula’s First Presbyterian Church – Reverend Maclean’s historic church. Sunday’s films with the creative team from “A River Runs Through It” remain at the Roxy at 9:30 a.m. and The Wilma at 1 p.m. in Missoula as previously scheduled. The Festival’s Gala Dinner on Sept. 8 at the home of Big Blackfoot Riverkeeper Jerry O’Connell will continue as planned.
“This was a painful and tough call for the Festival,” said Alpine Artisans President Gene Schade. “This year’s festival’s theme is ‘The Story of the Blackfoot’ and Seeley Lake was the summer home of Norman Maclean where he wrote “A River Runs Through It” so we were determined to stay in Seeley Lake. Our Festival is designed to honor that literary tradition and to draw people to our magnificent community. However, this week’s mandatory evacuations and the hazardous air quality required us to be cautious and relocating to the Reverend Maclean’s historic church also seems appropriate to that legacy.”
Festival Director Jenny Rohrer said, “Norman Maclean, more than anyone, knew that wildfire is a fact of life. What’s most important is that the firefighters fighting the Rice Ridge Fire stay safe. The Maclean Family has a rich history in Missoula as well – and we hope to add programming to the festival that features that history.”
“Story of the Blackfoot” program will start at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8 at the First Presbyterian Church in Missoula, 235 W. 5th St. The Gala Dinner at the Blackfoot River home of the Big Blackfoot Riverkeeper will be held as planned; air quality there is much better! Live music, catered dinner, hosted bar – come and meet our speakers and the Maclean family.
The Festival’s programming on Saturday, Sept. 9 will also be in the Fellowship Hall of the church. Saturday’s 6 p.m. Wine Tasting will be held at Le Petit Outre Bakery at 129 S. 4th Street, near the Presbyterian Church, a fabulous event space. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Sunday’s films with the creative team from the film, “A River Runs Through It” remain at the Roxy and The Wilma at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively, featuring a surprise presentation from Robert Redford.
The free Chuckwagon Breakfast with a talk by John Maclean will be held as planned at the National Museum of Forest Service History Bungalow Ranger Station, 6305 Highway 10 West, Missoula.
The Festival is presented by Alpine Artisans and the Montana Film Office and funded in part by grants from Humanities Montana, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Montana Department of Commerce, Seeley Lake Community Foundation, Montana Film Office, Citizen’s Alliance Bank and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Updated tour information and tickets are available at macleanfootsteps.com. For further information contact: Jenny Rohrer at 406-754-0034 or jenny@alpineartisans.org.
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