Montana Music Festival in Whitefish this Weekend

Whitefish, Mont.(August 30, 2011) -- Pure Prairie League and POCO headline the first annual 2011 Montana Music Festival, dedicated to the memory of the Montana Band, one of the most popular national touring acts ever to come out of the Big Sky State. At the peak of their popularity in 1987, all five band members -- Terry Robinson, Kurt Bergeron, Cliff Tipton, Alan Larson and Grady Whitfield -- died in a tragic 4th of July plane crash near Flathead Lake, while en route to an engagement in northern Idaho.

The Montana Music Festival will be held Friday, September 2 and Saturday, September 3, 2011 in downtown Whitefish (see schedule below). Festival and lodging packages are available starting at $105/per person double occupancy including room, festival tickets and $10 concession credit. More information, tickets and lodging packages can be purchased at www.mtmusicfest.com or call 877-SKI-FISH.

All proceeds from this year's festival will help fund construction of a permanent outdoor amphitheater in Whitefish, to be named for The Montana Band. The goal is to complete the Montana Band-Shell by this time next year, and dedicate it on July 4, 2012, 25 years to the day after the "boys in the band" played their last notes.

The music schedule and locations are as follows:

Friday, September 2, 2011

The Montana Band Acoustic Jam
7 p.m. doors open/8 p.m. show
O'Shaughnessy Center - One Central Ave. Whitefish
Tickets: $25 in advance or $30 at the door

Featuring: Original Montana Band members Rob Quist, Jerry Zalnoski & Mark Wittman with special guests Bruce Robinson, Kostas, Jerry Joseph, David Griffith and members of POCO, Pure Prairie League and other surprise guests!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

The Main Event
11 a.m. gates open/11:30 a.m. show
Whitefish Depot Park- Corner of Central Ave. & Depot St.
Tickets: $30 in advance or $35 at the gate

Featuring:
· Pure Prairie League
· POCO
· Montana Band Reunion/Tribute
· Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside
· Kostas and his Bad Habits
· House of Quist
· Moonshine Mountain
· Barnyard Riot

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Press Contacts:

Kevin Gartland, Whitefish Chamber, 406.862.3501/Kevin@whitefishchamber.org

Lisa Jones, WCVB, lisa@whitefishnewsroom.com, (406) 261-9020