WINTER RIVERFEST

As the planning committee prepares for the 4th annual Winter RiverFest - an event benefiting the Sun and Missouri Rivers - it seems like a good time to share information about this year’s event and how Winter RiverFest came to be.

Winter RiverFest is the biggest annual fundraising event for the Missouri River Flyfishers and Sun River Watershed Group. While the Missouri River Flyfishers (MRF) have a long history of hosting an annual banquet with raffles and auctions, the Sun River Watershed Group (SRWG) is new to the event-hosting gig. At their last few solo banquets, MRF asked SRWG to attend, present our recent work to the crowd, and made a sizable donation to SRWG following the event. This came about because the Sun River is within MRF’s conservation region, and the two organizations had started working together on projects and outreach-education efforts. Following 2020’s COVID, MRF anticipated a smaller crowd for their annual banquet and began working with SRWG to re-imagine the event. We came up with Winter RiverFest, which would benefit the Missouri and Sun Rivers, be co-hosted by both organizations, and include elements of MRF’s long-standing, very successful banquet. We also cashed in on a hot new venue, The Newberry.

For three years, Winter RiverFest at The Newberry was a big hit! We had great bands - 50 Watt Sun and El Wencho. We had a great live auction with trips and amazing art by local artists. We added a dessert auction. People danced at the end of the night. We love The Newberry! However, it was crowded. And people were missing elements of MRF’s banquet, like the silent auction, and some thought the music was a bit too loud. So, in 2025 we are moving to the Great Falls Airport. The silent auction will return. And we’ve got Tom Catmull, a very popular singer-songwriter from Texas by way of Missoula.

DETAILS ABOUT WINTER RIVERFEST, FEBRUARY 15, 2025

HOW TO GET TICKETS

Tickets for Winter RiverFest are $50 for individual, $500 for a table of 8. Yep, we know that math doesn’t pencil out. Tables are a bit higher than the cost of 8 individual tickets because people purchasing a table will be placed in front, closer to the action. Purchasing a table also reserves you 8 seats with your friends, rather than open, unreserved seating.

You can buy tickets on-line HERE. You can also pay cash or check in advance by contacting tracy@sunriverwatershed.org or mrftu406@gmail.com. There may be individual tickets available at the door; tables are only available in advance and need to be purchased by February 7.

WHERE IS WINTER RIVERFEST?

We’ll be at the Great Falls Airport Panorama Room on the 3rd floor. There is an elevator at the front of the airport that can take you all the way up. There are also signs in the airport directing you to the Event Center - go up the escalator, turn right, go up stairs. Or, you know, just take the elevator.

PARKING

You won’t have to pay to park at the airport for Winter RiverFest. Park in the Daily Event Lot. You’ll get a ticket at the parking entrance - don’t lose it! When you check in at Winter RiverFest, you will get a parking validation ticket - don’t lose that, either. When you leave, you’ll put both tickets in the machine at the exit and boom! Free Parking!

If you plan to enjoy our bottomless beers or other alcoholic beverages, please consider Uber, Lyft, or a designated driver, of course.

WHAT HAPPENS AT WINTER RIVERFEST?

Get there around 5 pm. There will be quiet live music, raffle tickets for sale, silent auction items to bid on, art and live auction items to view, bottomless mugs of beer to drink, and more. Bottomless mugs are $40 and you can choose from Miller High Life or a Microbrew (I forgot which one) and drink until the kegs blow. There will also be wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks for purchase, though those are not “bottomless”.

Around 5:30 pm dinner will be served buffet-style. We have chicken. We have steak. We have pasta and rolls and veggies and more!

The program starts at 6 pm with presentations about MRF and SRWG’s work, followed by a dessert auction, live auction, silent auctions end, hat raffle, awards, Smith River Bidding Blitz, and more. The program ends around 8 or 8:30 pm and then Tom Catmull will play music for a couple hours, bumping up the tempo so you all can dance.

WHAT’S A “HAT RAFFLE”?

MRF’S popular hat raffle is back! It’s $60 per hat, limited to 49 numbered hats, different every year. The 50th hat is the #1 hat, to be auctioned off live. At the end of the night, we will draw a number 1-50 and the owner of that hat wins a Winston rod with reel and line.

WHAT’S A “BIDDING BLITZ”?

This is new and we’re hoping it goes over well. MRF is raising funds for new restoration work on the headwaters of the Smith River, as part of the recently released Watershed Restoration Plan for the Smith River. Since FWP is leading this work, they will be at Winter RiverFest to tell you all about it. Then for 10 minutes, you donate to the project. We’ll see how much money we can raise in that short time - a blitz. This is a great way to contribute to important work, any amount you like, especially if our raffles, auction, and other prizes aren’t your cup of tea but you still want to help out.