Sweet Pea 2016 has arrived! August 5th- 7th

The 2016 Sweet Pea Festival returns to the Bozeman area Friday, August 5th through Sunday, August 7th as it celebrates its 39th year. Sweet Pea is a three-day festival of the arts held the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday every August. The Festival kicks off late Friday afternoon in Lindley Park with a performance by Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. Saturday ramps up with a children’s run and parade that lead the community to the park where the festivities continue through 7pm on Sunday. Weekend entertainment comes in many forms–music of all genres, performances by local theatre and dance troupes, workshops, family-friendly entertainment and activities, a flower show, a beer and wine garden featuring Montana microbrews, and over 100 arts and crafts vendors to stroll through and purchase unique gifts for yourself, family, and friends. The week leading up to the Festival offers additional fun-filled, community events. Artists of all skill levels converge on Main Street Tuesday morning for Chalk on the Walk. Wednesday evening local restaurants line Main Street to offer up samples of their fare, while musicians entertain, during the ever popular Bite of Bozeman and the Sweet Pea Art Show runs through the entire month of August at the Bozeman Public Library. Admission to events leading up to Festival weekend is free. Admission to the events in Lindley Park requires the purchase of an admission wristband. Three-day admission wristbands can be purchased at the gate on a depreciating scale for $30 on Friday, $25 on Saturday, and $15 on Sunday. You can purchase wristbands in advance by visiting sweetpeafestival.org/. Take a look at some event highlights that make Sweet Pea what it is! Sweet Pea’s Bite of Bozeman is a highlight of the annual festivities. This palate-friendly evening precedes the main event and will take place on Wednesday, August 3rd beginning at 5:30pm in Downtown Bozeman. Enjoy the food and drink offerings of over 40 area restaurants and food vendors. With entertainment on every corner, food choices galore, and the fun of dining among friends in the middle of Main Street, you’re sure to have a good time! The Sweet Pea Parade is something all locals and returning visitors are familiar with. The Sweet Pea Festival Parade is one the largest and most popular parades in the state of Montana. The Sweet Pea Children’s Run will kick off the parade of colorful floats featuring this year’s theme: “Yellowstone–National Parks Centennial.” The parade is free and open to the public. The parade runs along Main St. between 8th Ave & Wallace. And last, but definitley not least, one of the biggest draws of Sweet Pea is the LIVE Music! Here’s a look at the schedule of 2016’s performance slate. Aubrie Sellers will start things off on Friday, August 5th at 6pm, before Asleep at the Wheel brings down the house at 8pm. Saturday, August 6th will see a slew of performances, starting with Hollow Wood at 12pm, Paa Kow at 1:30pm, and Joshua James at 3pm. James McMurtry will continue things at 6pm before Sonny Knight & The Lakers take the stage at 8pm. Sunday, August 7th performances include Montana Jazz Collective at 12pm, Paige and the Peoples at 1:30pm, and The Hard Working Americans finishing things off at 3pm. For further festival information or to pre-purchase wristbands to the 2016 Sweet Pea Festival, visit sweetpeafestival.org/. •