Big Sky Shootout film and photo festival returns
Community rallies to conserve & celebrate its mountain culture
SECOND SEASON
BIG SKY – Electricity was in the air the night of April 16. Clouds gathered and danced with anticipation, circling Lone Peak and welcoming the prevailing winds that would soon come carrying the spring snow. The first flakes began to fall softly upon the faces of the eager onlookers gathered on the patio of The Wilson Hotel in Town Center.
Moments before they were immersed in playing bottle toss, drinking beer and listening to the melodic beats of DJ Missy O’Malley as she welcomed festival goers to the Shootout lounge. But the familiar and funny feeling of the dew-point drop was unmistakable to those gathered there. The tribe instinctually paused, turned and cast their gaze to the peak just as lightning split the sky illuminating the clouds from deep within and revealing a stunning silhouette of the tram upon a blazing mountain top.
A moment later, as if on cue, the heavens opened with the bass drop and bore down upon the crowd with heavy snows driving them inside. It was clear winter had made its triumphant return and with it the return of the Big Sky Shootout Film & Photo Festival.
We all had that feeling it was probably going to storm that night, said Erik Morrison, festival producer and Second Season CEO.
“Historically Big Sky has delivered some solid spring storms around the Shootout, hence all the classic powder segments like Higher Love and Snow Dreams that the festival has produced,” Morrison said. “It’s just that special combination of Lone Peak and this ski community’s stoke that seems to pull it in. With all of us coming together to honor this tradition and celebrate the festival’s return … It had to snow. Fortunately for us the storm was a motivator for people to come celebrate. We had over 400 people in attendance with the largest and rowdiest crowd at 7 p.m. right when the lightning struck and the storm was raging. You can’t make this up!”
