Raptor Fest soars back into Gallatin Valley for annual event
The annual Bridger Raptor Festival returns to Southwest Montana for its seasonal event, Friday through Sunday, October 4th–6th. Events are FREE and open to the public. Raptor Fest centers on the largest known Golden Eagle migration in the United States, with a local raptor migration count taking place every fall at the top of the Ridge.
The weekend festival will be preceded by a kick-off event featuring a screening of the documentary short Sky Migrations, followed by a discussion with directors Charles Post and Max Lowe. The evening will take place at Downtown Bozeman’s Ellen Theatre on Friday evening, Oct. 4th beginning at 6:30pm. The event will also include a live bird presentation by the Montana Raptor Conservation Center. Sponsored by Yellowstone Forever, there is no charge for admission. Doors at 5:30pm.
Each fall our skies fill with the wings of migrating raptors, a migration that relies on two hemispheres worth of wild and healthy ecosystems. A network of volunteers and biologists stand on remote mountaintops ready to document each pulse of the migration by collecting data that may arms us with the means to better understand the health and well-being of these wayward fliers and the landscapes that sustain them. Sky Migrations gives audiences the opportunity to join ecologist and filmmaker, Charles Post, as he follows their migration, and shines a light on the network of backcountry scientists and sentinels at the front lines of raptor conservation.
Following the Friday night presentation, Raptor Festival activities will include two days of live bird talks, nature walks, educational programs, and entertainment for people of all ages. A highlight every year, Saturday will feature an Oktober Fest event from 3–6pm with live music, food, and beer in the Jim Bridger Lodge. Get the full schedule of weekend events at www.bridgerraptorfest.org. Skiers and snowboarders, please note: Bridger Bowl’s Season Pass Sale will unfold on Saturday and Sunday from 10am–3pm each day in Saddle Peak Lodge during the festival. Lesson program sign-ups and rental fittings will also be offered.
The Bridger Raptor Festival is additionally sponsored by GCC and Bridger Bowl. It is hosted by the Sacajawea Audubon Society, Museum of the Rockies, the Bridger Bowl Foundation, Custer Gallatin National Forest, the Montana Raptor Conservation Center, Montana Outdoor Science School, Yellowstone Forever, and Yellowstone National Park. •
